G-Dragon’s highly celebrated return to television with the variety show Good Day ended on a quiet note, overshadowed by a controversy involving actor Kim Soo Hyun. The show, which started strong with a star-packed cast, saw its viewership plummet, and Korean media points to Kim Soo Hyun’s dating scandal with the late Kim Sae Ron as the main reason. Here’s a detailed look at what happened and how it affected the show.
Strong Start for Good Day
Good Day, hosted by G-Dragon of BIGBANG, premiered on MBC on February 16, 2025, and quickly grabbed attention. The music-based variety show brought together celebrities to create a song, offering viewers a mix of fun moments and behind-the-scenes creativity. Its cast, including the “88-liners”—celebrities born in 1988 like Jung Hae In, Im Siwan, Lee Soo Hyuk, Hwang Kwanghee, and Kim Soo Hyun—was a major draw.
Premiere ratings: The first episode scored a solid 4.3% viewership, according to Nielsen Korea.
Episode 2: Ratings dipped slightly to 3.6%, but the show held steady.
Episode 3: A small rebound to 3.9% kept hopes high.
The show’s prime Sunday evening slot and G-Dragon’s star power made it a hot topic. Fans loved seeing the “88-liners” bond, with Kim Soo Hyun standing out for his singing skills and candid chats about nearing his 40s.
Dating Controversy Shakes the Show
Trouble began when allegations surfaced about Kim Soo Hyun’s past relationship with Kim Sae Ron, who passed away on February 16, 2025. On March 10, the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute claimed Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron from November 2015 to July 2021, starting when she was 15 and he was 27. The accusations sparked outrage, as they suggested he dated her while she was a minor.
Garosero Research Institute stated: “Kim Soo Hyun was in a romantic relationship with Kim Sae Ron when she was allegedly 15 or 16 years old and he was 27 years old.”
Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, denied the claims, calling them “malicious falsehoods.” They said:
“The allegations that the late Kim Sae Ron dated Kim Soo Hyun from the age of 15, that our agency mishandled her DUI incident, and that one of our managers had ties to YouTuber Lee Jin Ho are all malicious falsehoods that cannot be overlooked. We are considering the strongest legal action.”
Despite the denial, Garosero released more alleged evidence, including a photo of Kim Soo Hyun kissing Kim Sae Ron on the cheek and private messages showing a cold attitude toward her. Public backlash grew, with fans demanding Kim Soo Hyun be removed from Good Day.
Impact on Filming and Ratings
The controversy hit Good Day hard. Kim Soo Hyun continued filming on March 13 and appeared in the March 16 episode, which fueled more criticism. Viewers flooded MBC’s comment sections, saying:
“I don’t want to see Kim Soo Hyun.”
“Do the show’s producers care what their viewers think?”
The production team responded with an apology, promising to edit out Kim Soo Hyun’s scenes as much as possible. They announced:
“We are truly sorry for upsetting our viewers who love ‘Good Day’ and have decided that, moving forward, we will edit Kim Soo-hyun out of our prerecorded episodes as much as possible.”
To manage the situation, MBC took drastic steps:
Skipped the March 23 broadcast for “reorganization.”
Edited out Kim Soo Hyun’s footage from episodes 5 to 8, though he briefly appeared in a wide shot in episode 5.
Shortened episode 5 by about 10 minutes due to heavy edits.
Despite these efforts, ratings kept falling. Episode 4 dropped to the 3% range, and the final episode on April 13 hit a low of 2.7%, the show’s worst performance. Korean media outlets like News1, Wikitree, Celuv Media, and JobPost blamed Kim Soo Hyun’s scandal for turning viewers away.
Wikitree reported: “The biggest reason behind the show’s rating slump was the controversy involving Kim Soo Hyun.” News1 added: “G-Dragon’s return to variety shows became a hot topic in itself, and the show drew attention for its star-studded cast of fellow 1988-born celebrities. However, midway through the broadcast, the program was unexpectedly caught up in controversy when cast member Kim Soo Hyun faced allegations of having dated the late Kim Sae Ron during her teenage years.”
G-Dragon’s Role and Public Reaction
G-Dragon, who also produced the show, stayed silent on the controversy but faced scrutiny. On March 20, he posted a cryptic Instagram image from a 2012 Infinite Challenge episode with the caption:
“Wake up in this harsh world.”
Fans saw it as a subtle nod to the show’s struggles. Earlier, G-Dragon liked and then unliked an Instagram post about Kim Soo Hyun skipping filming, sparking mixed reactions. Some netizens defended him:
“Sigh… GD is just taking all the heat. Did he have a close relationship with him? Did he cast him? People were criticizing him even before the news about the recording came out, so let’s not act like they only started after the recording. It’s not even the first time he unliked something—what’s the big deal?”
Others felt the show’s focus on Kim Soo Hyun’s drama overshadowed its message. The final episode featured G-Dragon completing a group song with cast members like Jung Hyung Don, Defconn, Code Kunst, Jo Se Ho, and guests such as Hwang Jung Min, Kim Go Eun, aespa, and SEVENTEEN’s BSS. A highlight was G-Dragon and Hwang Kwanghee’s theme park date, which hit 3.5% ratings, but it wasn’t enough to save the show’s overall viewership.
Lasting Effects on the Show
The controversy didn’t just hurt ratings—it changed how Good Day was perceived. Fans worried the scandal would define the show, despite its unique concept and strong cast. MBC faced technical challenges editing Kim Soo Hyun out, as his scenes were central to early episodes. By the end, Good Day wrapped up its “2025 project” quietly, far from the buzz it started with.
Kim Soo Hyun also faced personal fallout. Brands like Dinto, K2 Korea, and Shabu All Day distanced themselves, and fans called for his removal from his upcoming Disney+ drama Knock-Off. Meanwhile, Im Siwan, an “88-liner,” unfollowed Kim Soo Hyun on Instagram, signaling tension among the group.
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