The individual who previously made allegations about actor Lee I-kyung’s private life has issued what is claimed to be a final statement on the matter.

On November 19, the accuser posted a message on their social media, beginning, “I wanted to say this one last time. I sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by my posts.” The individual further explained, “Honestly, I was scared. That’s why I previously said everything was a lie. I was afraid I might be sued or held financially liable, or that this would bring problems for me and my family—so I lied.”

Addressing suspicions that the shared evidence could have been computer-generated, the accuser stated, “AI cannot create photos of celebrities, and I have never used AI in that way. All the evidence I uploaded is real.” They reiterated, “However, I don’t want to escalate this story again. Even if some people are not involved in this situation, I worry that other victims' courage could be wrongly dismissed as AI and they could suffer further harm—that’s why I am clarifying here.”

Earlier, the individual had claimed to be “revealing Lee I-kyung’s true nature,” publishing excerpts of private messenger conversations allegedly involving requests for explicit images and lewd discussions. The posts quickly became a topic of controversy.

In response, Lee I-kyung’s agency, Sangyoung ENT, stated via official social media channels, “We are preparing legal action regarding the spread of false information and malicious rumors being circulated online and through social media. Given the seriousness of the situation, we will take all necessary measures to assess and address the direct and indirect damages resulting from this false information.”

As criticism mounted, the accuser revised their statement, initially claiming, “What began as a joke unexpectedly gained massive attention. I made the posts and used AI-generated images.” However, they later reversed course, admitting, “The claim about using AI was a lie. I was never sued.”

Meanwhile, Lee I-kyung’s scheduled role as a new host on KBS2’s “The Return of Superman” was canceled in light of the controversy. He has also stepped down from MBC’s “Hangout with Yoo,” a show he had participated in for three years.

Both the broadcaster and his agency explained the decision by citing “scheduling conflicts related to film commitments.”

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=MHN DB