Kai from ‘I Live Alone’ Reveals His Double Life Between Seoul and Jeju Island

On the June 16 episode of MBC’s popular reality show I Live Alone (Ep. 596), musical theater actor Kai surprised viewers by unveiling his unique “double life” living between Seoul and Jeju Island.

Kai, marking his 8th year of solo living, gave viewers a rare tour of his stylized Seoul home, which boasted tastefully themed rooms and a clear maximalist aesthetic. However, the biggest surprise came when Kai packed a single bag and suddenly headed off to Jeju Island, revealing his second residence.

“This is my Jeju house,” Kai shared, adding, “It’s a place I feel at ease the moment I think about escaping here. I always had a vague dream of living on the island, and then I got the opportunity.”

Co-host Park Na-rae asked why he chose Jeju for his second home. Kai candidly replied, “Over a decade ago, I went through a tough time both professionally and personally. I took a bag and fled to Jeju, and the energy here was so healing. That’s when I thought, ‘I need to live here someday.’”

While his Seoul home is filled with personality and belongings, Kai explained that his Jeju house is deliberately left sparse. “It’s a space for real rest and comfort. I didn’t want to clutter it with objects. So I only have a speaker, a sofa, and a bed. I wanted to keep it as empty as possible.”

Though his mother also occasionally uses the Jeju residence, Kai introduced strict house rules, including a cooking ban, which drew playful criticism from fellow hosts Jun Hyun-moo, Park Na-rae, and Lee Jang-woo. Laughing, Kai admitted, “She barely comes now. I think it’s because of the rules.”

I Live Alone airs every Friday at 11:10 PM KST on MBC, continuing to offer intimate and sometimes surprising looks into the hidden lives of South Korea’s solo-living celebrities.