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Jeon Hyun Moo's trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, as aired on MBC's 'I Live Alone,' has become a subject of controversy regarding the authenticity of its 'spontaneous travel' concept. The broadcast depicted Jeon Hyun Moo deciding his destination at the airport on the day of departure and improvising his entire itinerary in Kazakhstan. However, questions arose after issues concerning rental car driving qualifications and the Almaty City Tourism Department's announcement of filming support came to light.
The main points of contention are twofold. Firstly, contrary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' notice that Koreans need an original Korean driver's license and a Russian notarized translation in addition to an international driver's permit to drive a rental car in Kazakhstan, the show portrayed Jeon Hyun Moo renting a car with only an international driver's permit. The production team later admitted they were unaware of the notarization requirement. Secondly, while the Almaty City Tourism Department officially announced its support for the filming, the 'I Live Alone' production team initially denied receiving any support or sponsorship, only to later clarify that there was administrative and on-site cooperation.
The core of this controversy is not whether Jeon Hyun Moo actually visited Kazakhstan, but rather the audience's skepticism regarding the discrepancy between the emphasized 'unplanned spontaneous trip' concept and the actual production process. Bloggers noted that Almaty, with its unique blend of urban and mountainous landscapes, is gaining attention as a travel destination, and the places Jeon Hyun Moo visited, such as Kok Tobe, Green Bazaar, Arbat, and Kaindy Lake, effectively showcased Almaty's charm.
