Citizen files complaint with Foreign Ministry over alleged support for 'I Live Alone' Almaty shoot

A formal complaint has been filed with South Korea's diplomatic authorities asking them to determine whether the production of MBC variety show "I Live Alone" received official support during broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo's impromptu trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, as a sponsorship controversy surrounding the episode continues to grow.

Posts showing the complaint submission have been spreading across online communities including DC Inside since Wednesday.

A complainant identified only as A submitted the petition Wednesday morning through the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission's national petition portal, addressed to the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Almaty. The submission requested confirmation of whether the consulate provided support for the "I Live Alone" shoot in Almaty, and also called for improvements to the information system for Korean driver's license recognition in Kazakhstan.

A said that the Almaty city government officially announced on Friday that the show's Almaty filming "was organized with the support of the Almaty Tourism Department," while MBC's production team stated on Tuesday that it "did not receive any filming support or sponsorship in connection with this trip to Kazakhstan" — leaving the two sides' accounts of the same shoot in direct contradiction.

Citing the official document posted on the Kazakhstani government's integrated portal (gov.kz), A said that "based on publicly available materials alone, it is not possible to confirm what specific support or cooperation the Almaty Tourism Department actually provided, or — if support was given — its type, scope, timing, or terms."

A went on to say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan, and the Consulate General in Almaty should use available diplomatic, consular, and administrative channels to formally verify with the Almaty city government or the Almaty Tourism Department whether support was actually provided, what "support" specifically means in this context, when and by whom initial contact with the production team was made, what was concretely provided, whether any prior consultations on tourism promotion took place, and whether related official records exist.

A said that whether the Almaty city government actually provided support — and the precise nature of that support — must be confirmed before it is possible to assess compliance with sponsorship disclosure requirements under the Broadcasting Act.

In addition, A asked the ministry to verify whether it is adequately conveying official guidance to actual travelers regarding Korean driver's license recognition requirements and notarized translation procedures in Kazakhstan, and to review the effectiveness of the current information system by examining the volume of related inquiries, inconveniences, and complaints arising from local car rentals.

According to the post, the deadline for processing the complaint is midnight on Sept. 3.

The controversy stems from the Aug. 14 and Friday showings of "I Live Alone," in which Jeon set off on a spontaneous trip to Almaty. He decided on the spot at Incheon International Airport to fly there, then rented a vehicle and drove himself around the city.

After the episodes aired, however, it emerged that even holders of an international driver's license issued in South Korea are prohibited from driving in Kazakhstan without the original Korean license and a notarized Russian translation — raising suspicions that the production had received advance support or sponsorship.

The controversy deepened when it became known that the Almaty city government had published a post on its official page within the Kazakhstani government website on Friday, introducing "I Live Alone" and stating in the local language that "the Kazakhstan filming was organized with the support of the Almaty Tourism Department."

The city noted that the related video on MBC's official YouTube channel had surpassed 500,000 views and described South Korea as a "high-potential tourism market" for Almaty. Kazakhstani media also reported the development.

In response, the production team issued a separate statement on Tuesday saying it "did not receive any filming support or sponsorship in connection with this trip to Kazakhstan."

The team explained that "immediately before departing for Kazakhstan, we submitted an international driver's license and passport as required by the local car rental company at the airport and rented the vehicle," adding that it "confirmed only later that a separate notarization procedure was required."

Meanwhile, "I Live Alone" is one of MBC's longest-running documentary variety programs, having first aired in March 2013. The Friday episode depicting Jeon's journey to Almaty drew a 6.6 percent household viewership rating in the greater Seoul area, ranking first among Friday variety programs.