Actor Lee Yi-kyung is leaving the popular MBC television variety show “Hangout with Yoo” (2019-) after a three-year run as a regular cast member.

The show’s production team said Tuesday that Lee had expressed his intention to step down due to a “demanding schedule.”


“Lee Yi-kyung has been considering his participation in the show for some time because of his busy schedule, which includes international projects,” the producers said in a statement. “He recently made the decision to leave, and we have agreed to support each other on our respective paths. We thank Lee for the passion he brought to the show despite his packed schedule.”

Lee recently wrapped filming for a movie tentatively titled, “Generational Regret” (translated), and is set to begin shooting the TBS television drama series “Dream Stage,” coproduced by a Korean and Japanese studio.

He joined “Hangout with Yoo” in 2022 and quickly made his mark, winning the Music and Talk Popularity Award at the MBC Entertainment Awards that same year. In 2023, he picked up another Popularity Award in the show-variety category and went on to win the Male Excellence Award last year, cementing his status as a breakout star in variety television.

Meanwhile, Lee also recently found himself at the center of controversy after a blog post surfaced on Oct. 20, which included screenshots of private messages he had allegedly sent, containing sexually suggestive content.

His agency denied the claims, calling them “groundless,” and the poster later admitted to fabricating the messages using AI-generated images, claiming it began “as a prank.”

Lee’s side has filed a criminal complaint against the individual on charges of defamation and spreading false information.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]