Jun Hyun-moo’s ‘Spur-of-the-Moment Kazakhstan Trip’ Faces Fabrication Allegations... Even the Foreign Ministry Responds

As Fabrication Allegations Emerge, Producers Deny: "Exactly as Shown on TV"


Jun Hyun-moo's Acquaintance Asserts: "He Often Enjoys Spur-of-the-Moment Trips"

As suspicions of fabrication arose over broadcaster Jun Hyun-moo's 'spur-of-the-moment trip' to Kazakhstan, the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan also stepped forward to urge caution among Korean travelers visiting the country.

A scene from the show "I Live Alone" capturing Jun Hyun-moo choosing a travel destination spontaneously upon arriving at Incheon Airport. MBC.

On August 26, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan posted an announcement on its website, titled "Guidelines for Local Driving for Short-term Visitors (Tourists) in Kazakhstan."

In the notice, the embassy stated, "If a Korean national intends to drive locally, they must have the original Korean driver's license, a notarized Russian translation of the license, related documents notarized at a notary office, or certified translations issued by diplomatic missions," and added, "Even if you possess an international driver's permit, you cannot drive if you do not have the original Korean driver's license and a notarized Russian translation. Please be particularly careful."

Previously, on the August 14 and August 21 episodes of MBC's entertainment program I Live Alone, Jun Hyun-moo was shown going to the airport without any plans, purchasing a ticket for a flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan that matched his available time, and booking his accommodations and rental car on the spot in what was presented as a "spur-of-the-moment trip."

Immediately after the broadcast, many viewers expressed doubts over how smoothly everything from reserving a plane ticket to booking lodging went, questioning whether the "spur-of-the-moment trip" premise was real. Online users in particular raised suspicions of fabrication, pointing out, "You need to have your driver's license notarized to rent a car and drive in Kazakhstan."

Broadcaster Hyunmoo Jeon. Yonhap News Agency.

These suspicions were further fueled when the city of Almaty revealed on its official website that Jun Hyun-moo's Almaty trip was filmed with support from the Almaty City Tourism Bureau. However, no details about the specific nature of that support have been disclosed.

The show’s producers responded in a statement, "Jun Hyun-moo's trip to Kazakhstan proceeded exactly as shown in the broadcast," denying allegations of fabrication regarding his rental car by stating, "Right before departing for Kazakhstan, we provided the international driver’s permit and passport requested by the local rental car company at the airport and rented the car." However, they admitted that after viewers inquired with the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan following the broadcast, they belatedly learned that additional documents were required to drive locally.

As the controversy grew, someone claiming to be Jun Hyun-moo's acquaintance posted a video on social media asserting that "there was no fabrication." In the post titled "The Start of Jun Hyun-moo’s Random Plans! Actual footage that inspired the Kazakhstan segment of I Live Alone," multiple videos were released showing Jun Hyun-moo and the acquaintance meeting at the airport and embarking on an impromptu trip.

In these clips, Jun Hyun-moo and the individual identified as Mr. A are seen approaching airline counters within the airport to inquire about flights that fit their schedule. Mr. A explained, "We tried to buy tickets that matched our timing at the counters but failed, so we ended up searching for tickets online while eating at the airport." This suggests that Jun Hyun-moo had previously enjoyed similar "spur-of-the-moment trips," as shown in past broadcasts. By liking the post, Jun Hyun-moo indirectly addressed the fabrication allegations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.