Yoo Jae-suk wins top prize at MBC awards, thanks Lee Yi-kyung after exit

Yoo Jae-suk delivers his acceptance speech after winning the grand prize at the 2025 MBC Entertainment Awards at the MBC Media Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The 2025 MBC Entertainment Awards closed Monday on a subdued note as veteran host Yoo Jae-suk captured the ceremony’s top honor, capping a year marked by controversy across the broadcaster’s variety programming.

Yoo was named the grand prize winner at the year-end awards ceremony held at MBC’s Media Center in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. The win marked his ninth grand prize at MBC and the 21st of his career.

“I received my first grand prize in 2005, and this one in 2025,” Yoo said in his acceptance speech. “No one knows what the future holds, but if it’s possible, I will keep doing my best and aim for 30.”

He thanked fellow cast members and staff of “Hangout With Yoo,” including HaHa and Joo Woo-jae, and also expressed gratitude to former cast members Park Jin-joo, Lee Mi-joo and Lee Yi-kyung, who recently left the program.

Yoo’s mention of Lee Yi-kyung drew attention, as the actor’s departure has remained a point of controversy. Lee stepped down from “Hangout With Yoo” last month following allegations related to his private life and later claimed that the production team had first suggested his removal.

Earlier this month, speculation of tension between the two briefly surfaced after Lee omitted Yoo’s name during an acceptance speech at another awards ceremony in Taiwan.

The atmosphere at this year’s MBC Entertainment Awards reflected broader turmoil within the network’s entertainment division.

Park Na-rae and SHINee’s Key, both regular panelists on MBC’s flagship reality show “I Live Alone,” suspended their broadcast activities following controversy widely referred to as the “injection auntie” scandal. As a result, the awards ceremony was hosted by Jun Hyun-moo and Jang Do-yeon, instead of the originally planned three-host lineup.

After receiving the Entertainer of the Year award, Jun said he attended the ceremony with mixed emotions.

“This is the first time I’ve come to the awards with such a heavy heart,” he said, adding that “I Live Alone” had long enjoyed strong support from viewers but failed to meet expectations this year. He bowed in apology and pledged that the program would launch a renewal project in 2026.

Television personality Kian84, who also received the same award, struck a similar tone, saying he found himself choosing his words carefully and expressing appreciation for the show’s writers and producers amid a difficult year.

“Thank you so much for giving me such a meaningful award. I’m not even sure how to put this into words,” he said. “I know 2025 hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, and just getting through it took a lot of effort for all of us.”