Actor Kim Soo-hyun is set to attend a fan meeting in Taiwan as his first official public appearance following a private life controversy that resulted in a temporary suspension of his activities. Consequently, it has been reported that 50 police officers will be on standby in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
According to Taiwan media ET Today on the 21st (local time), Kim Soo-hyun will participate in the 'Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival' organized by a convenience store in Taiwan on the 30th and hold a fan meeting. It is expected that 50 police officers will be deployed for the event, which plans to address any illegal or disorderly behavior on-site.
Kim Soo-hyun recently suspended his activities due to a private life controversy and has been dropped by several advertising brands he previously modeled for. In this context, the upcoming Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of this month could be his first official appearance. The organizers emphasized a few days ago that "the event is still proceeding in accordance with the contract."
The Chenjien branch, in charge of the Cherry Blossom Festival, announced that the 2025 Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from the 28th to the 30th. Police will deploy 50 officers to maintain security at the event venue and prepare for emergencies.
The police stated that the deployment of police officers was not planned specifically "for Kim Soo-hyun," and the organizers have not presented any additional requirements. However, 50 police officers are expected to be deployed for the fan meeting event.
According to the regulations of the Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival, tickets for the Kim Soo-hyun fan meeting will be distributed through a lottery, and only those aged 18 and over may participate. The organizers have selected 200 attendees through a pre-lottery for the fan meeting, which is scheduled to last about 40 minutes. It has been reported that the viewing fee is free, excluding the participation fee for the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Although Kim Soo-hyun has suffered significant damage to his image due to the private life controversy, the organizers stated that the event will proceed as scheduled. However, there is growing interest in whether it will go smoothly. The organizers explained that "since the tickets were won for free, attendees may not request ticket discounts, transfers, resales, exchanges, or refunds even if the fan meeting schedule is changed or canceled."
As a result, criticism has been pouring in towards the local organizers in Taiwan and Kim Soo-hyun. Among these concerns, requests for refunds on Cherry Blossom Festival tickets are soaring. However, the Taiwan Consumer Council stated, "since the Cherry Blossom Festival is not an individual concert, refunds are difficult."
Recently, Kim Soo-hyun has been embroiled in allegations of 'grooming' related to his past relationship with the minor Kim Sae-ron. The YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute" has called for Kim Soo-hyun and his agency to issue a formal apology, citing claims from Kim Sae-ron's family.
However, Kim Soo-hyun's side confirmed that while he did date Kim Sae-ron, it was not during her minor years, but from the summer of 2019 until the fall of 2020 when she was an adult, thereby denying the related allegations. Despite this, criticism towards Kim Soo-hyun has intensified, not only in the country but also overseas. Kim Soo-hyun's side has announced a strong legal response against the "Garosero Research Institute."
In particular, on the 20th, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, reported to the police regarding the YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute" and the relatives of the late Kim Sae-ron.
Gold Medalist stated, "Today, actor Kim Soo-hyun reported the operator of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, who posted a photo of him shot while wearing no pants on their live broadcast, along with the relatives of the late Kim Sae-ron, who provided the photo to have it posted by Kim Se-hee, and an unnamed person purporting to be an aunt of the late Kim Sae-ron, for violations including the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes."
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]