‘I Live Alone’ Producers Say Staff Flights Were Booked in Advance Amid Staging Controversy

The producers of MBC’s “I Live Alone” have acknowledged that the Kazakhstan trip presented as spontaneous had been prepared for in advance, including through the purchase of staff airline tickets. Their explanation has not ended accusations that the broadcast was staged.

In a statement posted Sept. 4, the production team apologized for not sufficiently explaining how the episode was made. It said the program followed Jeon Hyun-moo’s usual habit of taking spontaneous trips, while the staff reviewed flights and filming conditions in case an overseas shoot became possible.

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The production team booked staff airline tickets in advance and requested local filming cooperation so it could respond immediately if the Kazakhstan trip was chosen.

The team said it considered destinations Jeon had shown interest in and the available flights, and concluded that Kazakhstan was a likely choice. To respond quickly if he chose Kazakhstan, producers booked staff tickets and requested local filming cooperation. If he selected another destination or could not obtain a ticket, the staff reservations would have been canceled and the unexpected events would have been included in the journey.

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We failed to sufficiently consider that emphasizing the expression ‘spontaneous trip’ could lead viewers to understand that the entire trip and filming process had taken place without any prior preparation.

According to the producers, Jeon checked which flights could leave that day and bought a Kazakhstan ticket himself at the airport. The team said it had failed to explain that the phrase “spontaneous trip” did not mean every part of the travel and filming process had occurred without preparation.

The producers also said Almaty’s tourism authorities helped with administrative procedures and on-site filming, but provided no financial sponsorship or production funding. They said Jeon reserved the rental car at Incheon Airport and received it after submitting copies of his passport and international driving permit. After the broadcast, the team learned that renting a car in Kazakhstan required notarized procedures through the Kazakh Embassy in South Korea, calling its failure to check local rules carefully a mistake.

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We sincerely apologize for causing misunderstanding and confusion and for failing to explain the questions raised afterward quickly and clearly.