K-Drama in Crisis as Kim Soo-hyun’s Scandal Unfolds Amid Final Filming Stages

The upcoming Disney+ series set for release next month is now facing a major crisis due to the ongoing scandal surrounding lead actor Kim Soo-hyun.

With Knock-Off scheduled to premiere in April, speculation is mounting over its fate as Kim Soo-hyun finds himself entangled in various allegations related to the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

On March 10, YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (Gaseyeon) claimed that Kim Sae-ron’s family had revealed details about her alleged six-year relationship with Kim Soo-hyun, which reportedly began when she was still a minor. The revelations also touched on issues related to her agency transfer, financial matters surrounding her DUI incident, and other controversies, all of which were reportedly shared by her family via phone conversations.

Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, swiftly refuted these claims, stating, “These allegations are completely false. We are considering the strongest possible legal action.” However, on March 11, Gaseyeon escalated the controversy by releasing photos allegedly showing Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron together, further fueling public debate.

As a result, Knock-Off—Kim Soo-hyun’s highly anticipated Disney+ original series—is now under intense scrutiny.

A black comedy, Knock-Off follows the story of a man whose life is turned upside down by the 1997 IMF crisis. Once an ordinary office worker, he eventually rises to the top of the global counterfeit market. Kim Soo-hyun plays the lead role of Kim Sung-joon, the mastermind behind a thriving fake goods empire, while Jo Bo-ah co-stars as the female lead.

Sung-joon, who loses his job due to the IMF crisis, enters the counterfeit business and climbs the ranks to become the vice president of the infamous Samul Market. The series portrays his transformation into the ultimate boss of the global counterfeit industry, driven by intelligence, quick thinking, and an unrelenting desire for success.

Knock-Off is planned as a two-season series, with each season consisting of nine episodes. Season 1 is set to premiere next month. According to Kim Soo-hyun’s interview with Esquire Italy in January, filming was about halfway complete at the time, and production has likely advanced significantly since then.

On March 11, JTBC reported that Knock-Off is currently in the final stages of filming for Season 2. Netizens are now speculating whether Disney+ will proceed with the release despite the controversy or make drastic changes, such as replacing Kim Soo-hyun and reshooting his scenes.

However, with recent reports of Kim Soo-hyun being spotted on set, some believe a last-minute cast change would be impractical. Meanwhile, Disney+ has been aggressively pushing subscriber retention efforts, recently slashing its annual subscription fee by 40%. Given this strategy, the platform may reconsider its stance on the scandal’s impact.

Once considered a strong competitor to Netflix, Disney+ now lags behind other major OTT platforms in South Korea. Rumors of a potential withdrawal from the Korean market have even surfaced due to its declining user base.

According to mobile analytics firm IGAWorks, Netflix remains the dominant streaming service in South Korea, with 13.45 million monthly active users as of February. Coupang Play (6.84 million), TVING (6.79 million), and Wavve (4.18 million) follow behind. Disney+ ranks last among the major players, with only 2.57 million users. This is a sharp drop from the 4.33 million subscribers it had in September 2023 after the success of Moving.

Disney+ also has the highest cancellation rate among streaming services. A 2023 survey by KT’s marketing platform Nasmedia found that 59% of Disney+ users canceled their subscriptions within six months—far higher than the 20–40% cancellation rates of rival platforms. The streaming giant’s recent Korean original series, including Blood Free, Uncle Samsik, Han River Police, A Shop for Killers, Tyrant, No Way Out, and Gangnam B-Side, all failed to make a significant impact.