On November 21, Lee Yi Kyung released an official statement, explaining, “I refrained from commenting because my agency asked me not to until we completed the criminal complaint process and appointed a lawyer. A few days ago, I visited the Seoul Gangnam Police Station and submitted my testimony. I filed defamation charges due to threats and false information, and here is a copy of the complaint.”
He continued: “I was overcome with anger. A person claiming to be German repeatedly sent threatening emails to my agency months ago, appearing and disappearing at will. However, the agency chose to remain calm, dismissing the rumors as not worth addressing.”
Lee also spoke about his exit from Hangout with Yoosaying, “Even though the hype was proven wrong within a day, I was advised to leave the show. We agreed to withdraw voluntarily. During the ‘slurping noodles’ incident, I made it clear that I didn’t want to participate, but I was persuaded because the place was already booked. My joke ‘It’s all just for fun!’ has been modified. Once the backlash began, the producers panicked, but the full brunt of the controversy fell on me, deeply damaging my image. Later, I was told that I would only appear via VCR, but I found out that I had been replaced via newspaper articles.
He added: “Once a warrant is issued, the suspect will soon be identified. Even if he is in Germany, I will personally present the case there. And to the malicious commentators: I will not show any leniency.” Lee concluded by thanking his fans and colleagues I’m alone, Courageous detectives, Nice guysand more for their support.
The controversy began on October 19 when a German woman, identified as A, posted alleged screenshots of conversations with Lee on KakaoTalk and DM. These included requests for explicit photos and inappropriate questions. Lee’s agency immediately denied the allegations, labeling them false and revealing that there had been previous blackmail attempts to demand money.
Although A initially insisted her claims were true, she suddenly apologized on October 22, saying the images had been fabricated using artificial intelligence. However, on November 19, she reversed her statement again, saying, “I was scared and said it was all fake. I have never used AI to create images of celebrities and all the evidence I posted is real.”
Lee’s agency responded by confirming that it had filed the complaint on November 3 and had completed the plaintiff’s statement. They noted that identifying the suspect may take time, but assured full cooperation in the investigation. They stressed: “The plaintiff and the agency have suffered significant harm as a result of the malicious actions of the original poster and leakers. Regardless of location, we will pursue rigorous legal action without leniency.”
Sources: born
