Cha Eun-woo, IU, Jung Hae-in Caught in Fallout from Kim Soo-hyun Scandal—Stars Under Fire Amid Explosive Allegations

Amid ongoing accusations surrounding Kim Soo-hyun’s personal life and his alleged relationship with Kim Sae-ron, a wave of speculation and online backlash is targeting fellow celebrities—some of whom had mere professional or social ties to the late actress or Kim himself.

On April 3, YouTuber Lee Jin-ho posted a video titled “Cha Eun-woo Next After Kim Soo-hyun? Debunking Ga Se Yeon’s False Claims”, refuting recent allegations made by Kim Se-eui, head of controversial channel Ga Se Yeon.

Kim Se-eui had insinuated in a livestream that Cha Eun-woo had not attended Kim Sae-ron’s funeral, cryptically stating, “Cha Eun-woo and his manager will face divine punishment.” In response, Lee Jin-ho firmly denied the claims:

“Cha Eun-woo definitely attended the funeral. He was there from the first evening until late at night. We have multiple eyewitnesses who greeted him and sat with him.”

🌪️ The Ripple Effect: Innocent Stars Under Fire

As the scandal deepens, numerous celebrities are being dragged into the controversy:

Seo Yea-ji, formerly under the same agency (Gold Medalist) as Kim Soo-hyun, became the target of bizarre “love triangle” rumors. She denied any connection via her fan café, saying, “I have no relationship with him or his brother. I don’t even know why I have to clarify this.”

Ga Se Yeon also released an audio recording from an alleged close friend of Kim Sae-ron, who claimed the actress had a tumultuous relationship with Kim Soo-hyun beginning when she was still a minor. The friend claimed Kim had “many mistresses” and promised marriage, calling her six-year relationship with him “an exhausting fight to remain the queen.”

Actor A, the older brother of late singer-actress Sulli, joined the fray by accusing Kim Soo-hyun and director Lee Sarang (aka Lee Robe) of manipulating bed scenes during the filming of Real—a movie Kim starred in with Sulli. He later walked back some claims, admitting that no coercion was confirmed, but not before naming P.O, IU, Suzy, Han Ji-eun, Kim Sun-a, and Ahn So-hee, sparking criticism for dragging uninvolved stars into the drama.

👥 Social Pressure on '88 Line' Stars from Good Day

The backlash has even spread to cast members of MBC’s Good Day, where Kim Soo-hyun appeared with fellow “1988-liners” like Jung Hae-in, Im Si-wan, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Kwanghee. Some fans are pressuring them to cut ties with Kim Soo-hyun publicly.

Jo Se-ho, another Good Day cast member, was falsely accused of unfollowing Kim, though it was later confirmed he never followed him in the first place.

Im Si-wan recently wiped his social media clean, leaving only his agency’s account, fueling speculation.

Jung Hae-in is now facing similar demands, while G-Dragon, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Kwanghee have reduced their follow lists to zero or one—further intensifying scrutiny.

📺 Disney+ Halts Kim Soo-hyun Drama Knock-Off

The controversy has cast doubt over Kim Soo-hyun’s upcoming Disney+ series Knock-Off, co-starring Jo Bo-ah. While Disney+ initially stated that filming would continue as scheduled, they later reversed their stance, saying:

“After careful consideration, we have decided to pause the release of Knock-Off.”

One viewer even claimed to have received confirmation from Disney+ headquarters that Knock-Off is no longer on the current release schedule. Industry insiders estimate that if Disney+ pursues legal action, penalties for breach of contract could range from 18 billion KRW to 180 billion KRW (approx. $13–130 million USD).

🕊️ Family Claims 6-Year Relationship Started When Kim Sae-ron Was 15

The family of Kim Sae-ron claims she dated Kim Soo-hyun from the age of 15 to 21 (2015–2021). On March 27, the family held a press conference, presenting evidence to support the claim that the two were in a romantic relationship while she was still a minor.

⚖️ Kim Soo-hyun’s Legal Response

Initially denying all accusations, Kim Soo-hyun’s team eventually admitted that he and Kim Sae-ron had dated from summer 2019 to fall 2020, stating:

“They were both adults at the time. The claim that he dated her as a minor is false.”

At a press conference on March 31, Kim again denied any underage relationship. His team also announced legal action against Kim Sae-ron’s family and Ga Se Yeon for defamation and spreading false information, and filed a 120 billion KRW ($88 million USD) damages suit with the Seoul Central District Court.