As allegations that Kim Soo Hyun had a romantic relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor continue to spread, many companies have started to cut ties with him.
Recently, an online community post titled “Tears of Small Business Owners” surfaced. The post described how a shabu-shabu restaurant that used Kim Soo Hyun as a model had to flip over advertisement papers to hide his images.
The post stated, “Franchise owners spent a huge amount of money hiring a model, but now they can only cry in despair. The front side of the paper contains broth selection details. Flipping it over makes things inconvenient for customers and embarrassing for the owners yet they have no choice.”
This situation sparked mixed reactions online. Some netizens commented, “This is a real nuisance”, “Can’t they claim compensation for breach of contract?” and “Even if it’s awkward, flipping it over is the right thing to do.” Meanwhile, others dismissed the issue, saying, “Just eat. It’s not a big deal”, “Does looking at his face change the taste of the food?” and “People are overreacting.”
Meanwhile, the backlash against him has been spreading even faster overseas.
Following the scandal, multiple videos have surfaced online showing stores abroad swiftly removing Kim Soo Hyun’s posters and promotional materials. One video captured the moment when a four-cut photo booth store immediately took down his poster. In another clip, believed to be filmed in Thailand, a standee of Kim Soo Hyun was quickly discarded.
Not only in Thailand, but Chinese fan cafes have also shut down, and an increasing number of critical posts about Kim Soo Hyun suggest that a massive fandom withdrawal is happening.
Korean netizens reacted with comments like, “We should do the same here”, “Idol culture has made people too indifferent to grooming crimes” and “Other companies should cut ties with him immediately.”