Good Day’s PD Kim Tae-ho Under Fire for Delayed Cut of Kim Soo-hyun Amid Growing Scandal
On March 17, the production team of “Good Day” issued a lengthy apology through its official account, stating, “We sincerely apologize for causing concern to our viewers regarding the controversy surrounding cast member Kim Soo-hyun.”
Kim Soo-hyun is currently embroiled in allegations of grooming crimes. The bereaved family of the late Kim Sae-ron claimed that the actor was in a relationship with her for six years, from when she was 15 until she turned 21 (from 2015 to 2021).
Initially, Kim Soo-hyun’s side strongly denied the accusations as “false,” but on March 14, they changed their stance, stating, “Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after she had become an adult. It is not true that Kim Soo-hyun dated her while she was a minor.”
Due to the controversy, overseas fans, who are particularly sensitive to grooming-related issues, as well as the advertising industry, have swiftly distanced themselves from Kim Soo-hyun. Despite this, the actor proceeded with filming “Good Day” on March 13, and the production team aired the episode on March 16 without editing out his scenes, sparking further backlash.
Regarding the issue, the production team explained, “Good Day is a pre-produced show due to translation processes required for overseas broadcasts. Episodes are completed at least one to two weeks before their air date. The fifth episode, which aired yesterday, had already been delivered to platforms like MBC and global OTT services for translation. However, as the controversy escalated, we urgently re-edited the footage to remove Kim Soo-hyun’s segment from the ‘Good Day General Meeting’ before resubmitting it. As a result, the episode ended up being about 10 minutes shorter than usual, with some details lacking.”
They further clarified the March 13 recording, saying, “The scheduled recording of Good Day’s soundtrack had already been delayed. The production team was waiting for an official statement from Kim Soo-hyun’s agency regarding the controversy. However, since the agency planned to release a statement the following week (as of March 13) and securing cast members’ schedules would be difficult afterward, we had no choice but to proceed with the recording after much deliberation. Keeping potential editing in mind, we filmed the segment while ensuring minimal overlap between Kim Soo-hyun and other cast members.”
The production team concluded, “We have decided to remove Kim Soo-hyun’s parts as much as possible. The footage recorded on March 13 will not be aired.”
However, viewers remain unconvinced. Following reports of Kim Soo-hyun’s participation in the March 13 filming, the show’s viewer forum was flooded with complaints. The lack of prior notice regarding the editing decisions and the sudden airing of the March 16 episode without any statement led to accusations that the production team was “testing the waters” before making a decision.
Commenters on the statement expressed their frustration, saying, “So they kept gauging reactions and finally decided to act?” “Dragging it out for a power struggle,” “They knew about this controversy for so long, but only now they decide to cut ties because of backlash?” and “If they were going to edit him out, why even film it in the first place?” However, some netizens defended the production team, saying, “They must have been in a difficult position.”
Meanwhile, “Good Day” is a music project led by G-Dragon, where he collaborates with various figures to create the song of the year. The fifth episode, which aired on March 16, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 3.1% according to Nielsen Korea. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Good Day and its production team will navigate the fallout, while viewers and industry insiders alike scrutinize their handling of the situation.
