On December 16, YouTube channel “Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho” released a video titled “Why is Yoo Jae-suk being criticized? The aftermath of Lee Yi-kyung’s German woman disclosure.”
Lee Yi-kyung had stepped down from the show after a German woman, identified as A, made personal allegations that were later clarified as AI-generated.
During the 10th Asia Artist Awards 2025, Lee Yi-kyung received the Best Choice Award and made comments referencing Yoo Jae-suk, saying, “Watching SNL. I’m resting on Thursday. Haha, I miss you, Woo-jae hyung,” which sparked speculation that he intentionally bypassed Yoo Jae-suk.
[His agency clarified], “Lee Yi-kyung was not targeting Yoo Jae-suk. There is no reason to do so. We hope his acceptance speech is taken at face value.”
However, Lee Jin-ho revealed that Lee Yi-kyung’s exit from Hangout With Yoo involved a complex negotiation process: “ A made her allegations on Monday and clarified it as AI on Tuesday. The scheduled Thursday recording was postponed, and the team suggested a meeting the following Monday. Despite submitting legal evidence, Lee Yi-kyung’s team found the production team’s stance unchanged.”
At the meeting, Lee Yi-kyung was informed of his departure, leading to feelings of betrayal. When he asked who made the decision, the production team stated that it was a higher-level decision, not theirs. Lee Yi-kyung reportedly asked repeatedly if this meant Yoo Jae-suk, but the team did not answer.
Lee Jin-ho summarized: “Whether Yoo Jae-suk was involved is unconfirmed and likely not, but that doesn’t eliminate the speculation. This is why Lee Yi-kyung criticized the production, and why Yoo Jae-suk bypass rumors surfaced.”
Furthermore, Lee Yi-kyung revealed that he felt pressured to apologize publicly by the show’s team, which he claimed damaged his image, adding another layer to the controversy.
Sources: Naver