Kim Soohyun is currently facing allegations of having dated the late Kim Saeron when she was a minor, making the release of Disney+ series 'Knock-Off' uncertain. Initially scheduled for broadcast next. month, there are reports that Disney+ is internally deliberating as the public sentiment rapidly worsens.
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Production officials are concerned that this controversy may lead Disney+ to hesitate to produce K-Dramas in the future. This is because 'Knock-Off' is one of the high-budget productions scheduled for release this year. Disney+ had high expectations for the series, having invested significant effort in global promotion and marketing. An industry insider stated, "With Kim Soohyun rising to global stardom through 'Queen of Tears,' Disney+ was likely aiming for a breakthrough in both the domestic and Asian markets. However, this unexpected scandal threatens that opportunity." When Disney+ first launched in South Korea, it faced difficulties securing K-Dramas because Netflix had already secured long-term contracts with major content producers such as Studio Dragon and Contentree JoongAng.
The rising production costs due to fierce competition are also a burden for Disney+. Once the production costs rise, they rarely decrease. In particular, high-profile actors setting new pay standards. naturally impact other stars with similar popularity. Currently, Netflix is the only platform that can put a brake on these trends. Of course, they are not immune to 'actor risk' either. For example, the movie 'The Match' which was scheduled for release in 2023 was canceled as the lead actor Yoo Ah-in was investigated for propofol abuse. The film changed distributors and nearly two years later will finally be released in theaters on March 26.
Some speculate that Disney+ may proceed with 'Knock-Off' despite the controversy. This is because many penalty clauses in contracts only apply in cases of a confirmed conviction, and dating a minor alone is not grounds for legal punishment. Currently, South Korean law criminalizes adult-minor intercourse under statutory rape laws only if the minor is under 16. Before May 2020, the threshold was 13. Since the court judges based on the laws in effect at the time of the act, Kim Soohyun is not subject to punishment. Even if the contracts include clauses regarding 'causing public controversy,' the. meaning is ambiguous, leaving room for legal dispute.
-What are you talking about? They’re not the only options.
-I'm not going to watch their works anyway.
-Instead of relying on big-name actors and their high appearance fees, they should just focus on the quality of the work.
-Actors are surprisingly pretty easy to replace, thoughㅋ
-There are plenty of actors who are active and not problematic. Losing these two won't make a huge difference.
-The problem isn't just the actors. The industry is also at fault for still hiring them despite knowing the scandalsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Who told you to pay that much money for them??
-Isn't Disney+ still pushing ahead with the filming of 'Knock-Off'? It's a series, right?
-If you’re getting paid that much as a lead actor, at least live responsibly and properly.
-The industry will run just fine without them.
-There are plenty of other actors. No need to worry.
-There are plenty of decent actors out there~
-Men.
-Stop hiring criminals.
-The acting industry won’t collapse without them. Stop overreacting.
