In the post-Queen of Tears era, Kim Soo Hyun is all set to make his K-drama comeback with the Disney+ series Knock-Off. However, in the wake of allegations regarding a past relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron, who was possibly underage at the time, and accusation of his agency pressuring her over debt repayment, industry experts and viewers alike are speculating that trouble lies ahead for him.
K-media reports recently revealed that the Knock-Off Season 1 filming wrapped up recently, with Season 2 production already underway ahead of the series premiere. Set against the backdrop of the Asian financial crisis, the Disney+ black comedy also stars Jo Bo Ah. Preliminary announcements insisted that the first season of the upcoming series would be released in the first half of 2025.
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Knock-Off production budget and Kim Soo Hyun’s K-drama fee
Given the current state of things, not only is Kim Soo Hyun’s reputation on the line, but the K-drama is also facing cancellation. According to AllKpop and Koreaboo, the Knock-Off has an estimated production budget of 60 billion KRW (approx 41 million USD). The Queen of Tears actor’s per-episode fee is estimated between 500 million to 800 million KRW, bringing the total for the eight-part season to over 5 billion KRW.
The show’s production team initially doubled down on Season 2’s filming proceeding as planned. Subsequent reports claimed that Kim Soo Hyun’s new K-drama now has an uncertain release schedule and is facing delays as YouTube channel HOVERLAB (Garosero) continues its attacks on the actor, producing more and more evidence and unseen photos from the past supporting claims of Kim Soo Hyun dating a then-minor Kim Sae Ron.
Industry insiders are convinced Disney+ will sue Kim Soo Hyun over alleged underage dating
With the controversy worsening every day, industry experts are now mulling over the possibility of Disney+ suing The Producers actors for violating the “morality clause” in his contract, as his big-shot positive public image is being dragged through the mud.
Soo Hyun’s case even led Prada to drop him from the ambassador post. With insiders anticipating only bad days ahead for him, one commented, “Like Netflix, Disney+ is a global OTT powerhouse. If they determine that Kim Soo Hyun’s scandal has caused financial damage, they are likely to seek legal remedies. His response in the coming days will be a critical factor in determining the outcome.”
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Kim’s scandal also reminded them of Netflix’s lawsuit against Kevin Spacey after he was accused of sexual misconduct in 2018 and ultimately removed from the hit series House of Cards. As the disgraced actor was sued for $30 million in damages, he was forced to sell assets and dragged to the brink of bankruptcy.
We, as viewers, can only wait and watch how the controversy will unfold further, and Disney+ will deal with what once was another smashing hit in the making on its hand but has only invited criticism from March onwards due to Kim Soo Hyun’s involvement.