Famous YouTuber Publicly Criticizes Kim Soo-hyun “In Korea, a 40-Year-Old Dates a 20-Year-Old”
On March 12, Eom Eun-hyang uploaded a video titled “The Characteristics of Korean Comedy That Are Causing a Stir Abroad.”
In the video, a foreign student holding a “K-Humor Book” is asked, “What’s your ideal type?” He responds, “A 20-year-old woman.” Someone questions him “So you like someone your own age? That’s it? There’s no difference between you two then.” He delivers a twist, saying, “Only when I’m 40.”
At the end of the video, Eom Eun-hyang says, “Use this only in Korea.” This appears to satirize both Kim Soo-hyun’s decision to stay active despite the controversy and the Korean entertainment industry’s tolerance of him. The video directly references the recent scandal, accusing Kim Soo-hyun of maintaining a six-year relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron. The alleged relationship began when she was 15, making her 12 years younger than him.
The controversial statement in the video comes from Kim Soo-hyun’s remarks. He made them at a showcase event for “Secretly, Greatly” in May 2013. At the time, 25-year-old Kim Soo-hyun was asked, “At what age do you want to get married?” He responded, “When I was 25, I made a life plan. While thinking about my future, I decided I would get married at 36. But now, I don’t think I can stick to that plan.” He then added, “Now, I’m thinking, what about getting married at 41 to a 21-year-old?”
Earlier, Kim Soo-hyun’s representatives have firmly denied any romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron. When Kim Sae-ron first posted intimate photos with him in March of last year, his agency dismissed the dating rumors as “completely untrue,” stating, “We have no idea why Kim Sae-ron uploaded such pictures.” Even after claims from the late actress’s family, they continued to assert that the rumors were baseless and warned of strong legal action.
Meanwhile, on March 13, Kim Soo-hyun’s fan café Eucharist shut down all discussion boards, leaving only a temporary notice board. With approximately 29,000 members, the café has served as his official fan community.
As speculation grew that the fan café had distanced itself from the actor, the administrator clarified, “The café was temporarily made private to prevent cyberbullying among members.” This decision followed rising controversy over allegations that Kim Soo-hyun was in a relationship with a minor. It raised concerns that fans could become targets of online attacks.
The backlash from international fandoms has been severe. On Chinese platforms like Weibo, some users reacted negatively, saying, “We never want to see him in China again.”