'Spontaneous Trip' Claim in 'I Live Alone' Ultimately Backtracks with Third Explanation: "Tickets Were Pre-booked" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

'I Live Alone' production team has finally bowed its head amid allegations of fabrication surrounding broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo's so-called spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan.

On the 4th, the production team of MBC's variety program 'I Live Alone' (hereinafter referred to as 'I Live Alone') explained: "The episode featuring Jeon Hyun-moo's trip to Kazakhstan was produced by following Jeon Hyun-moo, who enjoys spontaneous trips, in his daily life. The term 'spontaneous trip' used in the broadcast meant that Jeon Hyun-moo decided on a travel destination and departed on the same day without pre-determining the destination or airline tickets."

The team further stated: "To prepare for the possibility of overseas filming, the production team reviewed flight options and filming conditions in advance. They examined various possibilities focusing on nearby countries that could be reached within a limited timeframe. Considering Jeon Hyun-moo's usual travel interests and the flight situation at the time, they judged it highly likely that Kazakhstan would be selected. Accordingly, if a trip to Kazakhstan was decided, they pre-booked airline tickets for staff members ready to respond immediately to filming and requested local cooperation for on-site production."

However, they added: "If Jeon Hyun-moo had chosen a different destination on the day or failed to secure a flight ticket to Kazakhstan, those staff tickets would have been cancelled. Any unexpected situations arising during this process were also planned to be naturally incorporated as part of the trip."

'I Live Alone' production team stated: "Jeon Hyun-moo confirmed available flights departing from the airport on that day and personally purchased a ticket to Kazakhstan at the scene. 'In emphasizing the term "spontaneous trip," we failed to fully consider that viewers might interpret the entire process of travel and filming as having been conducted without any prior preparation.'"

The team also addressed controversies surrounding the car rental process. Earlier, it was reported that a separate notarization procedure was required to rent a vehicle in Kazakhstan, raising questions about whether renting a car locally within a short timeframe would have been possible if the trip were truly spontaneous.

The production team explained: "Jeon Hyun-moo personally reserved the vehicle at Incheon Airport and, upon arrival in Kazakhstan, submitted copies of his passport and international driving permit as instructed by the rental company before receiving the car. However, after the broadcast, we received criticism regarding insufficient documentation. Upon verification through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan, we learned late that renting a vehicle within Kazakhstan requires notarization procedures from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Korea. This was an oversight by our production team for failing to carefully verify local regulations," they apologized.

'I Live Alone' featured Jeon Hyun-moo's spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan in its broadcast on the 14th of last month. However, following the broadcast, allegations of fabrication emerged due to multiple staff members purchasing airline tickets simultaneously and the fact that a car rental in Kazakhstan, which reportedly required a separate notarization procedure, was resolved in just about 40 minutes.

Adding to the controversy, it was reported that the Almaty city government website stated that 'I Live Alone' filming was conducted with support from the Almaty City Tourism Bureau, further fueling suspicions.

On the 25th of last month, the production team issued its first statement: "We did not receive any filming support or sponsorship." However, as the controversy persisted, they released a second statement: "The filming proceeded smoothly with necessary administrative procedures and on-site cooperation for local production." This shift in wording—initially denying all support, then clarifying that only financial sponsorship was absent—further intensified the debate.

Ultimately, the 'spontaneous trip' controversy extended to a third explanation. In this latest clarification, the production team officially admitted that they had pre-booked airline tickets for staff members with Kazakhstan in mind and had requested local filming cooperation in advance. The core issue lies in how the term "spontaneous trip," emphasized in the broadcast, was perceived as encompassing the production team's prior preparation process. Especially as the third explanation followed the first two, previously undisclosed filming preparation details emerged one by one at a late stage, prolonging the controversy.

The production team stated: "'I Live Alone' has always prioritized conveying the daily lives of its participants as authentically as possible. Nevertheless, in this broadcast, we leaned too heavily on the judgment that it should not compromise the program's realism and immersion, failing to provide sufficient explanation about the actual filming process. As a result, we caused misunderstanding and confusion among viewers and were unable to respond promptly and clearly to subsequent questions. We sincerely apologize for our insufficient judgment and response from the production team. We will take the criticism and reprimands seriously. Returning to our original intentions, we will reevaluate our production methods and attitudes from scratch and strive to create more careful broadcasts."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.