Noh Hong Chul has directly addressed animal abuse allegations sparked by photos he shared of interacting with a lion during a trip to Tanzania, Africa.
Noh Hong Chul explains animal abuse controversy: “It would be serious if drugs were involved.”
Noh Hong Chul once again clarified the controversy surrounding alleged animal abuse that emerged during his trip to Tanzania.
On February 27, he uploaded a video titled “Even travel-obsessed Noh Hong Chul was amazed: What’s inside an African wild lodge? (1.5 million KRW per night)” on his YouTube channel.
In the video, he said, “Most people who visit Africa go on safari tours. I had already done that before, so I wanted a different experience and searched intensely. The lodge I found cost about 1,000 USD per night, or roughly KRW 1.5 million.”
When the production team mentioned, “Are you talking about that wildlife lodge? There were so many articles about it,” referring to the recent controversy, Noh explained, “The Tanzanian government protects abandoned wild animals. Animals that need care are sent to sanctuaries, where systems are created to closely resemble their natural environment.”
He continued, describing the lodge he visited: “When you check in, you receive strict instructions, such as not shouting to avoid stressing the animals, not going behind them, and always staying with a guide. You can only check in after completing this training.”
He recalled, “The lodge feels like the wild itself. It’s so vast that you can encounter numerous herbivores such as gazelles, tortoises, and giraffes while walking around. Zebras, in particular, live alongside experts and don’t get startled by people.”
He added, “Whenever I asked, ‘Can I touch this animal?’ the expert would either say it was okay or tell me to just observe. When you open your door, animals are right there. It was surreal and hard to believe.”
“The guide told me to touch the lion.”
Noh Hong Chul also addressed the lion photo at the center of the controversy.
“I had already seen giraffes, zebras, and gazelles, and the guide said, ‘You haven’t met the lion yet. Let’s go see it.’ The lion was taking a nap, but then it woke up and climbed a tree,” he said.
He continued, “There were multiple experts with the lion. Unlike herbivores, people tend to hesitate around lions, but the guides were completely relaxed. They were singing and lying on the tree.”
He added, “The guide told me to touch the lion. I was too scared to touch its belly directly, but even touching its fur gave me chills. When I asked, ‘Is this really safe?’ they said it was fine because experts were present and it was the lion’s nap time.”
Suspicions raised that the lion had been drugged
Noh Hong Chul said the controversy began after he posted the photos on social media.
“At first, many people commented, ‘Is this AI?’ Then someone raised suspicion that the lion had been drugged. Since I had already checked beforehand, I messaged the person who raised the concern and said, ‘Is this true? If it is, I want to help as well. I’ll verify it immediately.’ I contacted the lodge directly.”
He explained that the lodge responded, saying, “Such a thing would never happen. The distribution of sedatives is strictly regulated. The lion was sleeping because it was nap time, not because of drugs.”
He added, “If drugs had actually been used, that would have been a serious problem. I believe the person who raised the suspicion did so out of genuine concern and love for animals.”
How the controversy began
Previously, on January 30, Noh Hong Chul posted photos and videos on social media showing himself interacting with a lion at a wildlife experience lodge in Tanzania. The images included him touching the belly of a lion sleeping in a tree and petting a lion lying on the grass.
The lion’s lack of reaction, even when touched by humans, prompted an Africa-specialized travel agency to raise animal abuse concerns. The agency alleged that the lion’s passive behavior could indicate it had been sedated, calling it a “shameful truth.”
As the controversy spread, Noh took steps to verify the facts. On February 15, he shared information from the lodge explaining that the lions cared for there were abandoned as cubs and later rehabilitated before being released back into their natural habitats.
He stated, “Based on the Tanzanian government’s involvement and the focus on treatment, recovery, and release, I never suspected abuse. If there are valuable opinions, I am willing to consider them.” He also shared direct messages exchanged with the local lodge to clarify the situation.
Following communication with Noh Hong Chul , the travel agency that initially raised the allegations partially revised its position. The agency stated, “We felt heavy-hearted that Hong Chul received criticism he did not deserve,” and deleted the controversial post.
SEE ALSO: Noh Hong Chul faces debate over lion photo in Africa
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