Kim Soo-hyun’s appearances in works and advertisements face a crisis amidst revelations from the bereaved family of the late Kim Sae-ron… Industry “will keep an eye on Kim Soo-hyun’s stance” [Summary].

Amid ongoing revelations from the late Kim Sae-ron’s family, actor Kim Soo-hyun’s path has reached a critical point.

Not only are the production team of his upcoming drama keeping a close watch on the situation, but so too is the advertising industry using him as a model. A Disney Plus representative told Daily Sports on the 12th, drawing a line by saying, “There is nothing decided regarding the release of ‘Knock Off’” and clarified, “If there are any internal decisions made, we plan to announce them.”

‘Knock Off’, starring Kim Soo-hyun, is one of Disney Plus’s highly anticipated releases for the first half of the year. It tells the story of a man (Kim Soo-hyun), whose life is turned upside down due to the IMF, who rises from an ordinary office worker to a king of the global counterfeit market. ‘Knock Off’ was initially scheduled to premiere in April, with a production presentation planned for the following month, but preparations were suddenly put on hold due to various controversies involving Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron. Daily sports reported that a meeting was in progress for countermeasures. On the 10th, YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as GSRI) revealed the claims of the late Kim Sae-ron’s family, alleging that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor at the time, for six years. In response, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency Gold Medalist firmly stated, “The claims made regarding Kim Soo-hyun are clearly false,” and “We are considering the strongest possible legal actions against GSRI for spreading false information.” On the 11th, GSRI again revealed additional claims from the family alongside a photo of Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun together.

As a result, ‘Kim Soo-hyun advertisement lists’ are being posted on various online communities, even sparking signs of a boycott movement.

Kim Soo-hyun is currently active as a model for various well-known domestic and international brands, such as Homeplus, Shinhan Bank, Tous Les Jours, Jo Malone London, and Prada. Netizens are responding with comments such as “Isn’t the model’s image credibility the most important?”, “What crime did the companies commit?”, and “We should actively protest to the corporate channels to cancel the model.”

On X (formerly Twitter), there was a post about a Tous Les Jours location removing the Kim Soo-hyun advertisement photo from the store windows that was reposted 17,000 times. In response to this situation, a representative from a brand using Kim Soo-hyun as their model told Daily Sports, “There is no separate official stance yet.

Instead, we’re waiting and watching for Kim Soo-hyun’s stance,” they said. Additionally, Ahn Ji-hye, CEO of a vegan cosmetic brand ‘Dinto’ where Kim Soo-hyun models, stated on her SNS on the 11th, “All scheduled activities related to the model are currently on hold.”

Earlier, on the 10th, Ahn CEO posted on SNS, “Regarding the model, I want to trust and wait first.”

Rather than be swayed by uncertain things, I want to focus on what I can do and what I must do,” drawing criticism. In response, Ahn clarified, “At the time, I believed it necessary to communicate that I was monitoring and waiting to verify the facts more clearly rather than making a rash judgment based on fragments of information.” Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency Gold Medalist cautiously stated, “There is no change from our previous position,” regarding the additional revelations from Kim Sae-ron’s family. Reporter Lee Joo-in juin27@edaily.co.kr