On March 28, lawyer Kim Kwang-sam appeared on YTN News NOW to discuss the matter. He first addressed the speculation that Disney+ might demand a penalty of over 100 billion won from Kim Soo-hyun due to difficulties with the “Knock-Off” production.
He explained, “Entertainment contracts typically include production costs. ‘Knock-Off’ reportedly had a production budget of around 60 billion won, and in general, penalty fees are set at two to three times that amount.”
However, he pointed out that such a high penalty might not be realistic in this case. “When the penalty amount becomes excessively large, it cannot always be calculated as simply two to three times the production cost. If Kim Soo-hyun were forced to pay an excessive penalty, it could create an unfair situation where the production company profits from the breach. Such cases are rare. Even if this goes to court, I don’t think a significantly high penalty will be upheld. That said, he will likely still have to pay a substantial amount.”
Regarding the controversy, Kim Kwang-sam noted, “It’s clear that Kim Soo-hyun’s image has suffered a major blow. The situation has turned into a ‘truth game’ and a messy dispute. The key issue here is that Kim Soo-hyun did, in fact, date Kim Sae-ron.” He criticized Kim Soo-hyun’s inconsistent statements, saying, “Initially, his side denied any relationship, but later, they claimed they started dating after she became an adult. Based on the latest revelations, it appears they were in a relationship when she was still a minor.”
The lawyer clarified that dating a minor is not illegal in itself. Even if there was physical contact, the laws at the time did not criminalize it, so Kim Soo-hyun would not face legal consequences. However, with evidence showing they were involved when Kim Sae-ron was 16 or 17, it is difficult to deny the relationship. He is now in a position where he has no choice but to acknowledge it.
He further argued that Kim Soo-hyun and his agency mishandled their response. “Had he admitted from the start that they dated when she was younger, clarified that their relationship was mutual, and explained when they broke up and how they had no further contact, this situation might not have escalated. However, both he and his agency made mistakes in their handling of the issue.”
He concluded, “When someone tells one lie, the public naturally starts doubting everything else they say. In that sense, Kim Soo-hyun’s response has been poorly managed.”
Initially, when dating rumors surfaced due to Kim Sae-ron posting couple photos while she was alive, Kim Soo-hyun’s side stated, “We have no idea what her intentions were behind this.” However, as suspicions of grooming grew, his stance changed, claiming that they only dated after she became an adult. Then, on March 27, Kim Sae-ron’s family exposed KakaoTalk messages from 2016, when she was just 16, suggesting they had been in contact at that time. Despite this, Kim Soo-hyun has yet to respond to the allegations.