The South Korean entertainment industry has been rocked by shocking allegations surrounding top star Kim Soo-hyun.
Reports have surfaced claiming that he was in a romantic relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was only 15 years old.
These claims have ignited intense debate, especially as additional accusations suggest that he abandoned her when she was drowning in financial debt.
Kim Soo-hyun's agency originally planned to release a statement next week but was forced to respond earlier today (14th), addressing the explosive controversy.
The agency confirmed that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020 but firmly denied any claims that their relationship began when she was underage.
This scandal was first exposed by YouTube investigative channel 'Hengsung Research Institute,' which claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had been romantically involved since 2015 when she was only 15. The channel also alleged that after Kim Sae-ron's DUI scandal, Kim Soo-hyun turned his back on her, leaving her to face the legal consequences and a staggering 7 billion KRW breach-of-contract fine alone.
To support these claims, the channel released images of Kim Soo-hyun kissing Kim Sae-ron's cheek and letters he had written to her during his military service.
Despite the uproar, Kim Soo-hyun appeared as scheduled for the recording of MBC's variety show 'Good Day' yesterday, a move that enraged netizens.
Many are now demanding his removal from the program, while producers are reportedly debating whether to edit out his scenes.
Meanwhile, the controversy has dealt a severe blow to Kim Soo-hyun’s commercial value.
At least 15 brands have already distanced themselves, removing his endorsement images, and industry insiders estimate that he may face up to 200 billion KRW (approximately 5 billion NTD) in compensation for contract violations.