Netizens are revisiting past remarks made by former 'Hangout With Yoo' members following the show's controversy surrounding Lee Yi Kyung's departure.
On an online forum, netizens reacted to a series of screencaps compiled by a user who recalled moments from various YouTube videos where former cast members of the MBC variety program shared their feelings of disappointment after leaving the show.
Until recently, the exact reasons behind each member’s departure were never clearly addressed and were usually announced suddenly with little explanation, leaving viewers confused.
Past examples include actor and comedian Jung Joon Ha, entertainer Shin Bong Sun, and Lovelyz' Lee Mi Joo, who had already drawn attention earlier this year for her quirky yet pointed remarks about "not wanting to be on the show anymore" and moving forward.
Following the controversy over Lee Yi Kyung’s abrupt exit, the show’s production team released an official statement apologizing to the actor for asking him to reenact his 'noodle slurping technique' scene and admitted that they had initially suggested his departure.
In light of this update, netizens revisited a video on Shin Bong Sun’s YouTube channel where Jung Joon Ha appeared as a guest and shared:
"(When I got off the show) I drank the most alcohol I had ever drunk in my life."
Shin Bong Sun confirmed this by saying she saw him live on alcohol for an entire week and added that "he also cried," to which Jung Joon Ha corrected her, saying, "No, I didn't cry. I bawled."
This exchange hinted that his departure may not have been voluntary, and their conversation gained new attention in the context of the recent controversy.
Shin Bong Sun, who had also left the show, commented in another video as a guest:
"I guess we just don't match, huh? It's kind of an awkward situation. Something just felt off. But I couldn't even express that kind of discomfort," leading to the public's speculation that she was not free to express her own grievances regarding the show and her eventual departure.
Finally, Lee Mi Joo, who exited the show in May, shared on her YouTube channel: "I was talking to the producer (of the show) but instead of confirming or even finalizing it then, it kind of sadly just fizzled out," suggesting that the conditions regarding her departure were left unclear and that there lacked a sense of proper closure.
After seeing these clips, netizens criticized the show’s producers for allegedly "treating their cast like disposable garbage," "probably not being mindful," and "handling departures in a rude and hierarchical way at their own convenience."
With many details still unclear, some netizens also mocked the show for "acting like they’re the number one program in the country" despite their "not-so-strong cultural influence." Others argued it would be "better to change the show’s staff and producers" instead of "constantly kicking off cast members."
Some also questioned how much say Yoo Jae Suk had in these decisions, with many doubting his involvement, while others remained wary and continued to scrutinize the main MC.
Reactions include:
"Bossing the cast around when the show has neither ratings nor buzz."
"So instead of saying, 'We're sorry you can't appear together, can you come next week to say a final goodbye?'—is that too hard? They just notify them not to come? Are they avoiding the situation? If they want to keep working in broadcasting, they should handle things better."
"The power-tripping is insane."
"Celebrities getting removed from shows isn’t new, so if they are willing to talk about it THIS openly on air, you can imagine how rude the staff must have been."
"What do people blaming Yoo Jae Suk even expect him to do? 'Don’t you dare remove my people, and if you do, I’ll walk out mid-shoot. Let’s fight about it.' Is that what they want from him?"
"Of course Yoo Jae Suk gets mentioned. People keep talking about 'Hangout With You' but that was more than ten years ago. His position now is not the same as back then. Maybe he did say something to the staff. Whether he was ignored or not, the viewers have no way of knowing."
"It's not just about the Lee Yi Kyung situation—everything the producers have done up until now has been disappointing. They have zero respect for the cast."
"The show's not even doing well. Why are they acting so high and mighty?"
"Wait, Mi Joo was forced out? ㅠㅠ I thought she stepped down voluntarily ㅠ"
"This program always has some story whenever someone leaves…"
"I didn’t know, but Yoo Jae Suk seems pretty cold behind the scenes."
"At Yoo Jae Suk’s level, he should point things out. People praise him for saying hard truths when he wins awards, but nothing actually improves."
"The production team is unbelievably rude and the show is unbelievably boring. Just cancel it."
"It's not like these people are rookies. They've all done programs where cast members leave. If everyone talks about this, then the station must have been exceptionally rude ㅠㅠ"
"It’s not just one or two people—clearly the production team is the problem. And people defending them? They’d foam at the mouth if the same thing happened to them."
"You have to wrap things up properly…"
"The show isn't fun, and all it produces is drama."
"Rude and incompetent."
"The biggest issue with 'Hangout With You' is that the planning itself is boring, but they keep switching members instead of fixing it."
"If everyone says the same thing, then there’s obviously a problem."
"When you tell someone to leave the show, the staff should at least show basic courtesy, shouldn’t they?"
"Why are they removing people like this?"
"At this point, I think the MC is also part of the problem. His influence is top-tier in Korea, and he’s not in a position where he can’t say anything."
"The production team… they really don't know how to talk about departures politely so that everyone can wrap things up respectfully?"
"The PD is seriously strange."
"The production team is what needs to be changed."
"They were talking about some 'risk' and whatever, but even if people are removed, there’s a proper way to do it."
"Cancel this unfunny show already."
"The staff are ridiculous… the show's not even good, and they still act like tyrants."
"Wow, they really did it without any courtesy."
"If it’s not just one person but this keeps happening again and again… yikes."
"For everyone to say the same thing, the production team must be the issue."
"Why are they doing this? Are they just rude? ㅠ"
"No, Yoo Jae Suk can’t force someone to stay or leave, but can’t he at least suggest to the PD that the way they notify members about leaving needs improvement? The current method hurts the members. If someone has to leave, the least they can do is give them time for a final goodbye or a moment to process it. Isn’t he at a level where he can request something like that?"
"It’s not Yoo Jae Suk’s fault. He always says he can’t just put people in or take them out like that."
"What are these comments blaming Yoo Jae Suk? ㅋㅋ They just want an excuse to bash him. Come to Play got canceled abruptly too—what power do you think he has? Honestly, Yoo Jae Suk should sue someone at this point. He’s also just a cast member, he can’t decide who stays or leaves. If he even tried that, people would say he was being unfair to others. Stop saying dumb things."
"You can’t not mention Yoo Jae Suk. He’s the main MC and has more influence than anyone there. That’s why his name keeps coming up."
What are your thoughts?
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