Sexual assault, assault, and fraud? "I'm SOLO", no love, full of controversy...viewer fatigue threshold

By Minjeong, Cho

Jun 26, 2025

Sexual assault, assault, and fraud? 'I'm SOLO', no love, full of controversy...viewer fatigue threshold



The love reality program 'I'm SOLO (I'm Solo)' is at the center of controversy again. Recently, as cast member A was arrested on charges of sexual assault, criticism of the program's performance verification system is rekindling. In addition, allegations of assault and fraud by other performers have been revealed, and ethical limitations of entertainment shows appearing in the public and the theory of responsibility for broadcasting are intensifying.

Sexual assault, assault, and fraud? 'I'm SOLO', no love, full of controversy...viewer fatigue threshold
On the 24th, Mapo Police Station in Seoul arrested a man in his 30s on charges of quasi-rape. He is suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in a parking lot in Seogyo-dong, Seoul, in the early morning of the 21st, and was found to have appeared in ENA·SBS Plus 'I'm Solo' and spin-off 'I'm Solo, Then Love Continues'. Although his real name has not been disclosed, various speculations are coming and going online over his identity as a cast member known as 25th Young-chul suddenly took SNS private.

On the same day, 10th cast member Jung-sook (real name Choi) was fined 7 million won for the assault in Daegu in October last year. He was accused of assaulting a man who had a dispute over a taxi ride six times and damaging his mobile phone. He argued in court that `there are also unfair parts,' but the judiciary admitted the charges.




In addition, the 23rd term Jeong-suk was embroiled in suspicions of special theft power under the guise of conditional meeting, and the appearance of the show was edited in full. This is a representative example of the controversy caused by the revelation of past privacy after the broadcast.

This is not the only one.

Since the beginning of the broadcast, various rumors such as verbal abuse, false careers, suspicion of spreading sexually transmitted diseases, school violence, and concealment of past marriage history have continued, and viewers' fatigue is gradually increasing. Social media war of words, legal battles, and notices of complaints among performers are also continuously hitting the image of the program.




The production team says it has strengthened the verification process through pre-interviews and criminal history inquiries, but questions about the effectiveness of the repeated controversies every season are raised. After the broadcast, some performers started business and branding based on their recognition, but behind the scenes, there are cases of abuse of broadcasting.

'I'm Solo' is a reality entertainment centered on the general public and has gained high popularity by using realistic emotion and empathy as weapons and has been popular, being listed at the top of non-drama popularity. However, if the balance between reality and stimulation is lost, the public can no longer focus on 'sincere love'.

The problem is that as a series of controversies have been repeated, they have exceeded the level that can be solved by a simple apology or editing by the production team. Repeated negative issues are spreading beyond individual performers to structural loopholes in programs and responsibilities of broadcasters. It is time for a fundamental reflection on the verification system and production ethics throughout general public entertainment as well as 'I am solo'.






mj.cho@sportschosun.com