"They called it an impromptu trip, but even the dialogue was scripted"... Jeon Hyunmoo's 'I Live Alone' prewritten script sparks controversy

Flight and destination specified 15 days before departure
Script largely matched the broadcast content

The manipulation controversy surrounding broadcaster Jeon Hyunmoo’s spontaneous trip to Kazakhstan on MBC’s variety show "I Live Alone" has reignited. This follows reports that a script had been written as early as two weeks before the trip, detailing not only the destination and flight but also the process of choosing the destination and the dialogue.

According to The Chosun Ilbo on Oct. 16, documents received by the office of Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, from Incheon International Airport Corporation included an official filming permit application and a script submitted by MBC’s production team on July 22.

The controversy began with episodes of Jeon Hyunmoo’s trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, aired on the 14th and 21st of last month. The show revealed how Jeon Hyunmoo spontaneously chose his destination at the airport and rented a car after arriving. MBC’s variety show “I Live Alone”

The official letter stated that the production team planned to film Jeon checking in and receiving a boarding pass at the Air Astana counter, the check-in counter of Kazakhstan’s national airline, before departing on Aug. 6. It also specified a departure flight scheduled for 11:10 a.m. that day. Jeon was confirmed to have actually departed for Kazakhstan on that flight.

What draws attention is the script submitted along with the official letter. It says that Jeon remarked, "I've been to China too many times. Should I try Kazakhstan?" and then decided on a destination after phone calls with actors Gu Seonghwan and Lee Juseung. In the actual broadcast, Jeon was shown looking for a destination on the spur of the moment at the airport and choosing Almaty, Kazakhstan, after speaking with Gu by phone. This means the prewritten script and the broadcast content largely matched.

The production team previously explained that Kazakhstan was one of several potential destinations and that it had made preparations because it believed Jeon was likely to choose the country. However, the documents submitted to Incheon International Airport Corporation contained no evidence that any destinations other than Kazakhstan had been prepared. In particular, MBC submitted only a filming consent form from Air Astana's Korea branch and did not appear to have requested filming assistance from any other airline. This has prompted renewed questions about whether the destination was actually chosen on location.

The controversy began with episodes of Jeon Hyunmoo’s trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, aired on Sept. 14 and 21. The show revealed how Jeon spontaneously chose his destination at the airport and rented a car after arriving. After the episodes aired, however, viewers questioned whether an overseas shoot involving a large crew could have been carried out without significant advance preparation.

What draws attention is the scenario submitted along with the official document. It describes Jeon Hyunmoo saying, "I've been to China too many times. Should we try Kazakhstan?" before deciding on a travel destination after phone calls with actors Gu Seonghwan and Lee Juseung. MBC's variety show "I Live Alone"

Questions were also raised about a scene in which Jeon rented a car about 40 minutes after arriving in the country, as renting a vehicle locally reportedly requires procedures such as translation and notarization of a South Korean driver's license. The production team’s explanations also drew controversy. It initially said it had received no support from Kazakhstan, but later revised its statement, saying it had received no financial support but had received filming assistance from the Almaty City Tourism Department.

The production team then explained that it had made advance preparations, including booking flights and requesting local filming assistance, in case the trip to Kazakhstan was confirmed. It also said that, in emphasizing the trip’s spontaneous nature, it had not sufficiently considered that viewers might understand this to mean that every aspect of the trip and filming had taken place without prior preparation.

Rep. Kim raised concerns about broadcasters’ responsibility to maintain viewers’ trust. "It is the role of variety shows to make viewers laugh, but maintaining viewers’ trust is the broadcaster’s responsibility," she said. "If MBC had been honest and left out plausible setups such as 'setting off without a plan' and 'booking a ticket on the spot at the airport,' it might have lost some ratings but could have retained viewers’ trust."

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