'I Am SOLO' participant Yeong-ho denies reunion rumors with Ok-sun

Yeong-ho, a participant from the 31st season of 'I Am SOLO', confirmed on the 14th that he has not reunited with Ok-sun and has no intention of doing so. Defending his former partner, he addressed malicious rumors and criticized the tendency to judge individuals based on edited broadcast footage.

Yeong-ho, a participant from the 31st season of 'I Am SOLO', has officially acknowledged his breakup with Ok-sun and drew a firm line against any possibility of a reunion. Although rumors of a reconciliation surfaced following the recent release of a couple photo of the two, Yeong-ho clarified that they "are still broken up," stating, "We have not reunited, and I have no intention of reuniting." He also expressed regret over the excessive criticism and unverified rumors directed at his former partner, Ok-sun, actively defending her through a lengthy statement.

On the 14th, Yeong-ho switched his social media account to public, stating, "I wondered if I should post this since so much time has passed, but I am greeting you to organize my thoughts and because some of you may be curious." He first clarified his relationship with Ok-sun, emphasizing, "First, Ok-sun and I have broken up, and we are still broken up. We have not reunited, and I have no intention of reuniting."

He refrained from discussing the specific reasons or circumstances of the breakup. "I will not say more because the reason and circumstances of the breakup are a matter between the two of us," Yeong-ho explained, adding, "Since I am posting this without asking Ok-sun's permission, I will only speak this much about our relationship out of courtesy." He further requested that questions regarding their private relationship be avoided.

What Yeong-ho particularly emphasized in his long post was the issue of excessive criticism and malicious public opinion directed at show participants. As a fan who has enjoyed watching 'I Am SOLO' since the 16th season, he acknowledged that the culture of criticizing participants is one of the program's long-standing traditions and a factor in its popularity. However, he expressed concern regarding the tendency to equate edited characters in entertainment shows with the actual individuals. His point was that a person's entire character and life should not be defined solely by the fragmentary images shown on broadcast.

He did not deny that criticism of a participant's behavior after a broadcast is valid. Yeong-ho explained that criticism is possible for those who commit crimes, engage in inappropriate behavior they choose to disclose, or exhibit certain conduct on social media. However, he pointed out that it is a separate matter to label an entire person based on specific scenes from a broadcast or to spread unverified stories.

He also confessed that he himself experienced unexpected harm following his appearance on the show. While he accepted the experience of being criticized during the broadcast as something interesting, he revealed that it had a direct negative impact on his daily life and livelihood, including malicious phone calls to his dental clinic and "star rating terrorism." He noted that he directly experienced a situation where controversies stemming from an entertainment program invaded a participant's profession and real life.

In particular, he took issue with the criticism toward Ok-sun, which had escalated beyond simple likes and dislikes shown on broadcast into insults and groundless rumors. Yeong-ho mentioned the concern that if he speaks out to defend Ok-sun, he himself could face malicious comments or attacks, and it might cause disadvantages when meeting new people in the future. Nevertheless, he stated, "I am willing to take that risk and say a few words," to voice his position for his former partner.

"You may say I am not objective because she was my partner, but I believe Ok-sun has been insulted far more than the image shown on the broadcast," he pointed out. "There were too many insulting words that went beyond simple criticism, as well as rumors that are groundless and unrelated to the broadcast." He explained that he judged it difficult for individual participants to voice opposing opinions or explanations when public opinion is heavily tilted one way, and that he decided to speak up after remaining silent for a while as the controversy continued to be discussed.

Yeong-ho also viewed the terms 'outcast' and 'bullying' attached to Ok-sun as excessive. While acknowledging that Ok-sun's personality or actions on the show could be perceived negatively by some viewers, he emphasized that heavy words used for actual victims, such as school violence or workplace harassment, should not be easily applied to entertainment show participants. He argued that consuming such terms lightly in a way that evokes 'The Glory' is disrespectful to actual victims and can be a harsh expression that threatens the daily lives of the participants labeled with such terms.

He also expressed regret regarding the conflict structures formed during the broadcast. Yeong-ho evaluated that while it is natural for conflicts to arise when people with different temperaments live together for 6 days and 5 nights, the 31st season made that process appear excessively like a confrontation between good and evil. He noted that even the same scene can be interpreted differently depending on editing and context. However, he added that he only knows what he saw through the broadcast regarding situations he did not personally experience, and apologized in advance if there were other matters he was unaware of.

Above all, Yeong-ho emphasized the real Ok-sun he had personally met. "The Ok-sun I saw is a person who is passionate, lives diligently, and has been recognized in her social life," he stated, adding, "She is not the kind of person to hear words like 'marrying for support' just because she met me." He also requested that people do not doubt Ok-sun's intentions in meeting him, stating that he himself is not someone who lacks dating experience and would be easily used by anyone.

He went on to describe Ok-sun as a "considerate person," explaining, "She was so transparent it could almost be considered a flaw, and at least in my perception, she was someone who was consistent." He even suggested that she might have been caught up in various controversies because of her excessively pure personality, lacking any devious side. Pointing out that everyone has different personalities and values, and that what is a strength to one person can be perceived as a weakness to another, he emphasized that Ok-sun is an ordinary person, not a villain deserving of blind criticism.

However, he also made it clear that he is not unconditionally defending Ok-sun's appearance on the broadcast. Yeong-ho drew a line, stating that he is not claiming Ok-sun only showed good sides on the show, and that how she chooses to address the controversies is a matter for her to decide personally. His intention was to convey that he cannot explain on her behalf or represent all situations simply because he is her ex-partner.

He also spoke regarding the recently resurfaced controversy of the leaked couple photo. While saying, "Since it is said to have been released by mistake, I will take it as such," Yeong-ho revealed that the fact that the photo was made public was both embarrassing and unpleasant for him. However, since the photo has already been released, he added that he hopes the incident helps alleviate suspicions about whether Ok-sun truly met him sincerely or if she actually liked someone else.

At the end of the post, he left a farewell message for Ok-sun. Yeong-ho expressed that she must have had a hard time fighting a lonely battle during that time, and while they now live their separate lives, he wished her well, noting that she has a loving family and friends and colleagues to rely on by her side. He concluded the post by saying he would live his daily life diligently and occasionally share updates.

The two appeared on the 31st season of the ENA and SBS Plus variety program 'I Am SOLO' and became a final couple. However, following the broadcast, criticism toward the participants continued regarding allegations of bullying Sun-ja, and the two eventually broke up. Subsequently, about five months after the breakup announcement, rumors of a reconciliation resurfaced when a couple photo taken together was released on the 26th of last month.

At the time, Ok-sun clarified that the photo in question was leaked due to her own mistake and was not a post intended to announce an imminent marriage or a restart of their relationship. She drew a line, stating she had no intention behind releasing the photo. Later, she directly addressed various suspicions and rumors surrounding her, refuting as many as 15 allegations one by one. In particular, she emphasized that she was not pregnant, had not undergone an abortion or miscarriage, had never met men through dating apps, and that allegations regarding sexually transmitted diseases were also untrue.

Ultimately, Yeong-ho's current statement is interpreted as dismissing the possibility of the two reconciling, while simultaneously providing a rebuttal and a request regarding the controversies surrounding Ok-sun that have continued since the breakup. The message is that while their romantic relationship has ended, he cannot deny the time they spent together or the person he personally experienced.

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