Kim Soo-hyun's Attendance at Taiwan Event Under Scrutiny Amid Kim Sae-ron Controversy—Cancellation Could Cost Billions

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has been embroiled in controversy following allegations that he dated the late Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor. As a result, all eyes are now on whether he will proceed with his scheduled appearance at an upcoming event in Taiwan.

According to Taiwanese media outlet ETtoday on the 19th (local time), 7-Eleven Taiwan had initially planned to launch a collaboration product line featuring Kim Soo-hyun on that day. However, the company has since decided to postpone the release. A 7-Eleven representative stated, “We have adjusted our marketing schedule.” Reports indicate that convenience stores in Taiwan were set to sell fresh food items, coffee cups, and cup sleeves featuring Kim’s image, along with promotional goods such as folders and photo cards. However, these products were nowhere to be found in stores on the day of the expected launch.

This move follows the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron. On March 10, Kim Sae-ron’s family publicly demanded an apology from Kim Soo-hyun through the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, claiming he should admit to their alleged six-year relationship, which began in 2015. As supposed evidence, they released a handwritten letter Kim allegedly sent to Kim Sae-ron during his military service, along with a photo of him kissing her cheek. Additionally, Kim Sae-ron’s family accused Gold Medalist, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, of pressuring her to pay a 700 million KRW penalty for breaching her contract.

Gold Medalist has firmly denied these allegations, stating that Kim and Kim Sae-ron only dated from the summer of 2019 to fall 2020, after she had become an adult. They also refuted claims that Kim ignored Kim Sae-ron’s financial struggles, revealing that he had actually covered her multi-billion KRW debt. The agency further clarified that they never demanded compensation for the impact on Queen of Tears, countering the accusations made by Kim Sae-ron’s family.

Amid this escalating controversy, 7-Eleven Taiwan has acknowledged the situation and has put a hold on its marketing activities involving Kim Soo-hyun. However, the bigger concern now is his scheduled appearance at the ‘2025 Sakura Festival’ in Kaohsiung on March 30, which is also organized by 7-Eleven. Initially, Kim was set to perform for 40 minutes and interact with fans, but growing negative sentiment in Taiwan has put his attendance in question. If he pulls out, reports suggest that the cancellation fee could reach 30 million TWD (approximately 1.32 billion KRW).

With no official cancellation announced yet, anticipation continues to mount over whether Kim Soo-hyun will attend the event or withdraw amid the ongoing controversy.