Disney+ postpones 'Knock Off's release amid Kim Soo Hyun's controversy

As the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo Hyun intensifies, the K-entertainment industry is distancing itself from him, and the team behind Knock Off has also decided to put the K-drama's release on hold.

On March 21, a representative from Disney+'s Knock Off told Herald POP, "After careful deliberation, we have decided to postpone the release of Knock Off ."Knock Off had completed filming for Season 1 and was set to premiere on Disney+ in the first half of this year. With a production budget of 60 billion won, it was a highly anticipated project, and Season 2 was already in production. However, in light of the recent controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun, the decision was made to postpone the release indefinitely.

Kim Soo Hyun has been embroiled in allegations that he was in a relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron for six years, starting when she was a minor. Last year, Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, refuted the rumors. However, as the late actress's family stepped up to confront the actor, the agency changed its stance, stating, "Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were in a relationship from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020 after she had become an adult."

However, Kim Soo Hyun's statement failed to convince the public, instead backfiring and fueling further backlash. Brands for which he served as a model, as well as his contracts as an ambassador for luxury brands, were terminated.

Additionally, MBC's variety show Good Day announced that it would edit out Kim Soo Hyun's footage and later declared a temporary hiatus to reorganize the program. As Kim Soo Hyun remains silent, the backlash continues to intensify, now impacting his upcoming project, Knock Off.

However, the actor is scheduled to attend his Taiwan fan meeting. The Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of the month may become his first official public appearance. The event organizers recently stated, "The event is still proceeding as planned in accordance with the contract." It is also reported that 50 police officers are expected to be assigned to the fan meeting event. 

According to the sources, tickets for Kim Soo Hyun's fan meeting were distributed through a lottery system, and only individuals aged 18 and older were eligible to participate. The fan meeting is scheduled to last approximately 40 minutes, with 200 attendees selected in advance via lottery. Aside from the festival participation fee, admission to the fan meeting is reportedly free.

Although Kim Soo Hyun's image has suffered significant damage due to the controversy surrounding his personal life, the event organizers have stated that the fan meeting will proceed as planned. However, attention is now focused on whether the event will go smoothly as scheduled.

The organizers explained, "Since the tickets were distributed for free, even if the fan meeting schedule is changed or canceled, the organizer cannot be requested for a ticket discount, transfer, conversion resale, exchange, or refund." As a result, criticism is mounting against both the Taiwanese organizers and Kim Soo Hyun. In particular, there has been a surge in refund requests for Cherry Blossom Festival tickets. However, Taiwan's Consumer Protection Committee stated, "Since the Cherry Blossom Festival is not a private concert, refunds will be difficult to process."

Meanwhile, on March 20, Kim Soo Hyun's agency announced that they had filed a legal complaint against Kim Se Ui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (Hoverlab), as well as Kim Sae Ron's family members, including an individual claiming to be her aunt. The charges include violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (specifically, the distribution of illegally filmed materials).

Sources (1)(2)