The Taiwan fan meeting, which was supposed to be Kim Soo Hyun’s first official appearance following recent controversies, has been canceled.
On March 25, 7-Eleven Taiwan, the convenience store brand hosting the event, officially announced the cancellation through its social media accounts.
The brand stated, "We regret to inform you that Kim Soo Hyun will not be able to attend the fan meeting scheduled for March 30 due to scheduling conflicts. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our members." Ticket refunds are now in process.
Kim Soo Hyun was scheduled to attend the Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival on March 30, participating in a fan event on the final day of the festival for approximately 40 minutes.
However, the actor recently faced allegations that he had been in a six-year relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron since she was a minor, leading to accusations of grooming. While Kim Soo Hyun acknowledged their past relationship, he maintained that they only started dating after she became an adult. The fan meeting had garnered significant attention, given that this fan meeting was his first scheduled public appearance since the controversy.
The hosting brand had not only planned the fan meeting but was also set to release products featuring Kim Soo Hyun’s image. Local industry insiders estimate that the event's cancellation could result in a penalty of approximately 1.3 billion KRW (about 887,093 USD).
Meanwhile, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal battle with the YouTube channel HOVERLAB (Garo Sero Research Institute) continues. In light of the controversy, Disney+ has indefinitely postponed the release of its upcoming drama 'Knock-off,' originally slated for the first half of the year. Additionally, his appearances in the MBC variety show 'Good Day' have been edited out.
Notably, 'Knock-off' reportedly had a production budget of several hundred billion KRW. If Kim Soo Hyun is forced to withdraw from the project, the financial impact could be significant. With his overseas engagements also in jeopardy, it remains to be seen whether he can avoid a “penalty bomb.”
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