Kim Soo Hyun, a major South Korean actor, held an emergency press conference on March 31, 2025, to address serious allegations about his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron. The fallout from this event has shaken up the entertainment world, and now, his upcoming Disney+ drama Knock-Off is caught in the storm. Here’s the full scoop on what’s happening, based on verified details from multiple sources.
Right after the press conference, fans and viewers flooded Disney+ with complaint emails about Knock-Off, worried about its future amid the growing controversy. Disney+ didn’t leave them hanging for long—they started replying on the same day, March 31. The response? A short and clear message: “No public schedule.” This simple line confirmed that Knock-Off, once set to be a big 2025 release, isn’t on Disney+’s current release lineup anymore. For a show that had already wrapped filming for Season 1 and was gearing up for Season 2, this sudden shift has everyone talking.
The drama was put on hold as the buzz around Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference grew louder. People online quickly shared screenshots of Disney+’s email replies, sparking a massive debate. An online post on theqoo, a popular Korean community site, racked up nearly 90,000 views as netizens dissected the news. Some saw Disney+’s move as a smart play to dodge trouble, while others were outright furious, demanding the show be scrapped or that Kim Soo Hyun face a penalty fee.
What Went Down at the Press Conference?
On March 31, Kim Soo Hyun stepped up to face the public at a press conference in Seoul. He spoke about the allegations tying him to Kim Sae Ron, who passed away on February 16, 2025. Her family claims the two dated for six years, starting in 2015 when she was just 15 and he was 27—a 12-year age gap that’s raised eyebrows and fueled outrage. Kim Soo Hyun denied dating her as a minor, saying their relationship only happened for about a year, from 2019 to 2020, when she was an adult.
He got emotional, apologizing to fans and saying he felt terrible that Kim Sae Ron couldn’t rest in peace amid all this noise.
“Many people are suffering because of me,” he said. “I also feel sorry that the late actress isn’t able to rest in peace. I never dated her when she was a minor. Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like any other ordinary couple.”
His agency, Gold Medalist, backed him up, insisting the underage dating claims are false. They even released a recording of a call from a year ago, where their CEO explained to Kim Sae Ron’s team that a debt notice was just paperwork, not pressure. But her family isn’t buying it—they’ve shared KakaoTalk messages from 2016, when she was 16, showing casual chats with Kim Soo Hyun, hinting at a closer bond than he admits.
Why Is Knock-Off on Hold?
Knock-Off was shaping up to be a huge deal for Disney+. It’s a black comedy about a regular guy who turns into a counterfeit king after losing his job during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Starring Kim Soo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah, the show had a massive budget of 60 billion KRW (about 41 million USD), with Kim Soo Hyun reportedly earning 500 to 800 million KRW per episode—over 5 billion KRW total for the eight-episode first season.
Filming for Season 1 was done, and Season 2 was in the works. But then the scandal hit. Back on March 20, Disney+ first announced they were postponing the premiere, originally slated for April 2025, due to the controversy. After Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference, the emails from Disney+ made it official: Knock-Off is off the schedule for now. No new release date, no word on if it’s delayed or canceled—just a big question mark.
Korean netizens think Disney+ didn’t like how the press conference went down. One user on theqoo wrote, “No matter how many complaint emails were sent to Disney+, the only response received was ‘No public schedule.’ I guess Disney didn’t like Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference, considering people started getting responses.” Another speculated, “I think his penalty fee lawsuit will start soon.” The timing of the replies—right after the press conference—only fueled the chatter.
Netizens Split Down the Middle
Korean fans are all over the place on this. Some are cheering Disney+ for stepping back, while others are mad they haven’t just dumped the show entirely. Here’s what people are saying on theqoo:
“Disney will try and avoid damage, so they’ll probably keep a lookout.”
“Just throw away the show already.”
“Disney, demand the penalty fee already.”
“Disney, you’re the lawsuit genius…take it to the end and get your money.”
“Disney, I’m disappointed in you.”
“Are they still testing the waters? So annoying. It’s not a celebrity from their country anyway, why are they dragging this out for a ‘star’ from another country.”
The divide is clear: some want Kim Soo Hyun held accountable with a big penalty, while others feel Disney+ is being too slow or soft. Posts on X echo this split, with some fans rallying to support him with hashtags like #WeStandwithKimSooHyun, urging others to email Disney+ in his favor, while critics push for the drama to stay shelved.
What’s Next for Kim Soo Hyun and Knock-Off?
The big question now is what happens to Knock-Off—and Kim Soo Hyun’s career. Brands like Prada and Dinto already dropped him in mid-March over the scandal, and with Knock-Off on ice, the financial stakes are high. Industry insiders say Disney+ might sue him for breach of contract, especially if the show gets canned. With a morality clause likely in his deal, he could owe 20-30% of the production cost—tens of billions of won—if things go south.
For now, Disney+ is keeping quiet beyond their “no public schedule” line. Netizens are watching closely, some hoping for a resolution, others betting on a legal showdown. As the dust settles from the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun’s next move—and Disney+’s—will decide where this story goes.
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