Kim Soo Hyun’s acting career has taken a severe hit after the controversy surrounding his romantic relationship with Kim Sae Ron, who recently passed away. The release of his Disney+ original series “Knock Off” is officially postponed.
There were reports previously that Disney+ is considering legal action against Kim Soo Hyun due to the recent controversy surrounding him. The streaming giant may seek a large sum of money in damages.
This is because celebrity contracts often include a rule requiring them to maintain a good public image. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable for damages, as the value of the project is associated with their public image.
Disney+ Postponed the Release of Kim Soo Hyun’s “Knock Off”
Public backlash against Kim Soo Hyun is growing and nearly all the brands he was associated with have terminated their advertising contracts. All eyes were on Disney+ if they would proceed with the release of the big-budget series “Knock Off” amid the heated controversy.
An official from Disney+ told MBN, “After careful consideration, we have decided to postpone the release plan for ‘Knock Off’.”
“Knock Off” was initially set for release this April, with production nearly complete. However, due to Kim Soo Hyun’s romantic involvement with the late Kim Sae Ron, the release has been postponed indefinitely.
Starring Kim Soo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah, “Knock Off” is about a regular office worker whose life is turned upside down by the IMF crisis. He surprisingly becomes the ruler of the international counterfeit trade.
Previously on March 12, the production team of “Knock Off” announced that they would continue with the Season 2 filming schedule as planned. This was after the “Queen of Tears” actor repeatedly denied rumors of a romantic relationship with Kim Sae Ron. After the release of letters and intimate photos by Garo Sero Institute, he accepted their relationship on Friday, March 14.
The production cost of Disney+’s ‘Knock Off’ is approximately 60 billion won. As the lead actor, his appearance fee is estimated to be 10-20% of the production cost, which is around 500-800 million won per episode. For the 8-episode series, he was at least paid 5 billion won.
However, due to the ongoing controversy, Disney+ might file a lawsuit against Kim Soo-hyun, seeking substantial penalties. If found liable, he may be responsible for not only the guaranteed amount but also damages incurred from production delays and the potential cancellation of the series.
Typically, Disney+ claims damages equivalent to 20-30% of the production costs when an actor breaches their contract. In this case, the damages could amount to hundreds of billions of won.
Kim Soo Hyun Accused of Dating Kim Sae Ron When She Was Minor
Their dating rumors were fueled in March 2024 when the “Kiss Sixth Sense” actress shared an intimate photo with the 37-year-old actor. His agency Gold Medalist denied rumors and threatened legal action against anyone spreading misinformation.
On February 16, she committed suicide on Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday, and since then netizens have been connecting the dots. A YouTube channel Hoverlab (Garo Sero Research Institute) claimed earlier this month that the two dated when Kim Sae Ron was 15 and still in middle school (from 2015 to 2021). Initially, Gold Medalist denied their relationship again. However, later they admitted that Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron dated for a year (2018-2019) when she turned 18.
In addition, text messages and an interview with the bereaved family member reveal that the agency Gold Medalist was forcing the repayment of 700 million won debt. The agency paid the aforementioned amount when Kim Sae Ron was involved in a DUI incident. Since she could not continue her acting career due to public backlash, Kim Sae Ron was unable to repay the debt. She texted Kim Soo Hyun to not sue her and did not receive any response.
Gold Medalist denied demanding compensation from Kim Sae Ron’s family in an official statement. They stated that the agency was following standard protocols by sending the certified notice and had already written off the debt as bad debt. More recently, they have filed a criminal lawsuit against the YouTube channel and the bereaved family for sharing intimate photos of Kim Soo Hyun.