Actor Lee Yi Kyung, embroiled in private life rumors, has taken another hit.
On the 9th, E Channel announced the broadcast of Brave Detectives Season 5 and confirmed Lee Yi Kyung’s departure. E Channel stated, “With the new season, we have parted ways with MC Kim Sun Young and Lee Yi Kyung, who had shown great performances, at the end of Season 4, and welcomed new MCs.”
Lee Yi Kyung has been a key figure as an MC on Brave Detectives since its first broadcast in April 2022. However, last October, he stepped back temporarily from his MC position due to controversies related to his private life. At the time, production staff said, “Actor Lee Yi Kyung, who has played a solid role as an MC, will temporarily be absent from Brave Detectives 4 due to personal reasons. Various guests will appear on the show over the next few weeks.”
Until now, the production team had taken a cautious stance on whether Lee Yi Kyung would leave the show, but with related suspicions still unresolved, they ultimately decided on his departure before the first broadcast of Season 5.
Previously, in October last year, a person claiming to be German, identified as A, caused a stir by releasing text messages including obscene language and insults, claiming they were conversations with Lee Yi Kyung. Even after changing their story to say the photos and writings used in the allegations were manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI), A continued to reverse their claims and reveal further allegations.
In response, Lee Yi Kyung’s agency stated, “We are preparing legal measures for damages caused by the spread of false information and malicious rumors. Considering the severity of the situation, we will calculate all direct and indirect damages caused by the false information and take all necessary measures.”
Lee Yi Kyung also expressed his distress, saying, “I visited the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul to give a statement as a complainant. I conveyed my position on the rumors and completed the legal process for defamation caused by threats and spreading false information.”
Brave Detectives is a crime entertainment program that vividly presents real cases solved by detectives who have fought crime to protect the safety of the public’s daily life. It has been well-loved for evoking empathy with sincerity, raising awareness, and even helping prevention of crime. In the new season, long-time members Ahn Jung Hwan and Kwon Il Yong will be joined by new MCs Kwak Sun Young and Yoon Doojoon. Brave Detectives 5 will premiere on the 27th at 9:50 PM.