Actor Kim Soo-hyun is embroiled in controversy surrounding allegations that he dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and as a result, the release of his upcoming project 'Knock-Off' has ultimately been postponed.
On the 21st, a representative from Disney+ stated, "After careful consideration, we have decided to postpone the release plans for 'Knock-Off.'"
'Knock-Off,' which deals with the story of a man whose life is turned upside down by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) becoming the king of the counterfeit market, was scheduled to be released in April after completing most of its filming. However, the announcement of the postponement was made due to the controversy surrounding the lead actor, Kim Soo-hyun.
Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the 16th of last month. Subsequently, the YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute" (Gaseyeon) cited a call with Kim Sae-ron's family on the 10th, claiming that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron, who was 15 years old at the time, for six years starting in 2015. Additionally, it claimed that Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, paid the 700 million won penalty Kim Sae-ron owed to the production company of the drama 'Hunting Dogs' and sent a message warning that legal action would be taken if repayment was not made.
The agency representing Kim Soo-hyun, Gold Medalist, claimed regarding the allegations that Kim Soo-hyun dated the minor Kim Sae-ron, stating, "They dated from the summer of 2019, after Kim Sae-ron had turned 18, until the fall of 2020."
In this process, the family released a photo of Kim Soo-hyun washing dishes at Kim Sae-ron's home. Consequently, Gold Medalist initiated legal actions. On the 20th, Gold Medalist issued a statement, saying, "It is unacceptable and unjustifiable for a photo that can invoke sexual humiliation to be publicly released, and as there is a concern that similar actions could continue in the future, it was deemed necessary to proceed with the legal report against the family of Kim Sae-ron."