Broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo. [Newsis]
Broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo. [Newsis]

Amid ongoing controversy surrounding broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo's trip to Kazakhstan, film director Shim Hyung-jun, a close acquaintance, has stepped forward to share personal travel anecdotes in Jeon's defense.

The MBC variety program "Na Honja Sanda" (I Live Alone) recently aired footage of Jeon's impromptu solo trip to Kazakhstan. Following the broadcast, some online users raised allegations that the unplanned concept had been staged in advance, sparking debate.

In response, Shim took to Instagram on Wednesday to share stories from past trips he had taken with Jeon.

"A few years ago, Hyun-moo and I headed down to the Namhae area with no real plan," Shim recalled. "We just set off, stopped by Jindo along the way, and somehow ended up in Song Ga-in's hometown. We were lucky enough to meet her father, too. Nothing was decided from the outset, but because there was no plan, unexpected things kept happening — and the trip was all the more fun for it."

He then described Jeon's general approach to travel. "He's always been like this — he loves traveling on impulse," Shim said. "He just goes. Sometimes it's domestic, sometimes it's abroad."

The same held true for overseas trips. "Once, when we went to Fukuoka, Japan, on a whim, we hadn't booked any accommodation in advance," Shim said. "We rented a car in Fukuoka and drove all the way to Yufuin, but when it came down to it, there were so many tourists that every hotel was fully booked. We ended up with nowhere to sleep and nearly had to spend the night on the street."

Shim added that Jeon took it all in stride. "He didn't panic or get scared even in that situation. Driving in Japan isn't easy since the driver's seat and steering wheel are on the opposite side from Korea, but he handled renting the car without a second thought. Driving in an unfamiliar country was no big deal to him. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the situation itself — getting behind the wheel and heading somewhere new."

"His trips have always been like this," Shim said. "He sets off without a plan, and unexpected things happen because of it. Sometimes he ends up in a tough spot because he can't find a place to stay, but he ultimately turns even those experiences into part of the journey. There seems to be a lot of chatter about this Kazakhstan trip on 'I Live Alone,' but none of it looks particularly unfamiliar to me. Moving without a plan, ending up somewhere he never expected, and making something out of it — that's the person I've known for a long time."

Meanwhile, Shim first crossed paths with Jeon while directing a calendar photo shoot in which Jeon dressed as the character Elsa for "I Live Alone." The two have maintained their connection since, with Shim going on to direct the MBN variety program "Jeon Hyun-moo Gyehoek" (Jeon Hyun-moo's Plan).


min3654@heraldcorp.com