Actor Lee Yi Kyung, who recently spoke out about the severe damage caused by false rumors about his private life, has finally broken his silence. On the 21st, he publicly released his legal complaint, officially announcing legal action against the rumor spreader, while also candidly expressing his disappointment toward the variety shows he appeared on.
The latest situation also took a toll on his broadcasting activities. Lee Yi Kyung revealed that he first learned through an article that he had been dropped from 'Hangout With Yoo,' saying, “Even though it was proven to be fabricated within a day, I was still urged to step down from the show, and we had no choice but to leave voluntarily.” He added that he was also disappointed to learn from outside reports that he had lost his chance to be selected as an MC for KBS’s 'The Return of Superman.'
During this process, the long-criticized “noodle-slurping incident” was brought up again. Lee Yi Kyung emphasized, “Even during the slurping controversy, I clearly said, ‘I don’t want to do it.’” He explained, “The production team told me they had rented out a noodle shop and asked me to do it. The part where I said, ‘I'm doing this for laughs, for the variety show,’ was edited out. Afterward, I was left to bear the full brunt of the criticism, which severely damaged my image.”
This statement resurfaced the viral “Ugly Noodle Slurping” scene from the past. The moment he performed the bit in front of actress Shim Eun Kyung became a widely shared meme online, dubbed the “failed blind date guy” and “a noodle slurp even pigeons wouldn’t do.” At the time, Lee Yi Kyung volunteered to show off the way he slurps his noodles, saying, “Should I show you the slurping?” and delivered an upgraded “slurping show” with cold soybean noodles—only to end up with soy broth splattered across his face and receive nothing more than a curt “Good job” from his seniors.
Lee Yi Kyung’s latest statements have reignited discussion about the pressure, forced direction, and selective editing hidden behind the façade of “variety show characters.”
Fans and Korean netizens have responded in shock and expressed outrage as they left comments criticizing the production team of 'Hang Out with Yoo.' They revisited the episode when Yoo Jae Suk announced Lee Yi Kyung's departure from the show, saying, "He should have said goodbye, but the schedule of In.Sa.Mo was pushed back, so he couldn’t." After Lee Yi Kyung revealed he had no choice but to withdraw, Korean netizens commented:
"Wow… this is basically a game of destroying someone’s life. I’m really disappointed in Yoo Jae Suk."
"Whoa, so he didn’t even want to do the noodle-slurping segment, and they forced him?"
"They did this last time too… the production team is seriously rude."
"The production staff are nowhere to be seen, and people are blaming Yoo Jae Suk?? Ridiculous. He should sue all of them, too."
"They did the same thing to the female members and Jung Jun Ha."
"The whole 'Hangout With Yoo' program is starting to feel unlikable."
"But isn’t this already the second time 'Hangout With Yoo' has been criticized for how they handle cast departures? Jung Jun Ha and Shin Bong Sun’s exits were messy, too."
"The way they handled the departure was rude, but the actual decision to remove him was understandable."
"Didn’t 'Hangout With Yoo' get criticized for how they removed Jung Jun Ha and Shin Bong Sun, too? When the show ends and Yoo Jae Suk no longer works with them, the production team will get their karma."
"The departure is understandable, but the noodle-slurping controversy? The production team was out of their mind."
"The production team is so messed up."
"He's been with the show for three years, and that's how they treated him?"
SEE ALSO: Lee Yi Kyung sues unidentified German national over fabricated rumors “I was furious”
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