Lee Jin-ho Claims Jun Hyun-moo's Trip to Almaty Was Decided a Week Earlier, Reversing the 'Spontaneous Trip' Explanation on 'I Live Alone'

[Financial News]  A claim has emerged that Jun Hyun-moo's spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan, as shown on MBC's entertainment program 'I Live Alone,' was actually planned a week before filming, with the destination and airline tickets already set. The allegation comes after the production team had previously said, "The program proceeded exactly as it was shown on air," and it has reignited controversy over the so-called 'spontaneous trip.'

YouTuber Lee Jin-ho claimed on the 29th through his YouTube channel 'Yeon-ye Dtopresident Lee Jin-ho' that the destination for Jun Hyun-moo's trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, had already been decided about a week before filming, and that airline tickets for Jun Hyun-moo and the production team had been prepared in advance.
According to Lee Jin-ho, the production team came up with the 'spontaneous trip' concept after noting that Jun Hyun-moo often used to leave for trips by buying same-day tickets at the airport.
Chongqing, China, and Almaty, Kazakhstan, were considered as candidate destinations. Lee said the destination was then set as Almaty about a week before filming after Jun Hyun-moo expressed a desire to go somewhere he had never been before.

He also said that tickets had been secured in advance not only for Jun Hyun-moo but also for the accompanying production staff.

Lee emphasized that, even if only one ticket for Jun Hyun-moo had been issued, it would have been difficult to arrange the remaining six or seven tickets, underscoring that advance preparation was unavoidable for overseas filming.
He also claimed that some staging was involved in the broadcast scene where Jun Hyun-moo appears to discover Almaty for the first time while looking at the departure board at Incheon International Airport and then buys a ticket on his phone.
He added, however, that it was true Jun Hyun-moo's wishes were reflected in the process of deciding the travel concept and destination.
In the episode of 'I Live Alone' that aired on the 14th, Jun Hyun-moo was shown arriving at Incheon International Airport without having chosen a destination.
While looking at the departure board, Jun Hyun-moo searched for Almaty after wondering, "Where is Almaty?" The scene then showed him purchasing a ticket on his phone.
In an interview with the production team, Jun Hyun-moo said, "The travel destination has not been decided yet. If there are tickets left, I'll go," and he also stressed in the studio that it was a spontaneous trip. Based on the broadcast alone, the segment was structured so viewers could understand it as a trip in which he decided on a destination after arriving at the airport and left immediately.

However, questions were raised from the outset about whether it was realistically possible to decide on overseas filming on the same day the broadcast aired. That is because not only the cast member but also the PD, writers, camera crew, and sound staff would need airline tickets and on-site filming arrangements in order to travel abroad with equipment.
In addition, the city of Almaty said on its official website that the shoot was carried out with support from the tourism authority, fueling suspicions of prior planning and sponsorship.
As the controversy grew, the production team explained on the 25th, "We did not receive any filming support or sponsorship for this trip to Kazakhstan," adding, "Jun Hyun-moo's trip to Kazakhstan was exactly as shown on the broadcast. We submitted an international driver's permit and passport to a local rental car company and rented a vehicle."

They also acknowledged, "We confirmed through the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan after the broadcast that a separate notarization process for a driver's license is required to drive in Kazakhstan."

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