News
Kim Soo-hyun makes TV appearance after 2025 hiatus
Photo Inside Page
Photos
Kim Soo-hyun is back on the small screen.
The South Korean actor made a special appearance at Mahakarya RCTI 37, a live television event in Jakarta commemorating the 37th anniversary of Indonesian broadcast network RCTI on August 23.
For the occasion, Kim treated viewers to a performance of "Dreaming," a song from the 2011 hit Korean drama Dream High. The actor played Song Sam-dong in the series, one of the early roles that helped establish him as a leading star.
Soo-hyun's appearance comes after a long time away from television, amid the controversy that surrounded him in 2025.
In March last year, allegations emerged concerning his past relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron, with claims that their relationship began when she was a minor. Sae-ron died in February 2025 at the age of 24 after being found at her home in Seoul.
The issue escalated in May when Sae-ron's family filed a criminal complaint against Kim Soo-hyun, alleging that he had violated South Korea's Child Welfare Act by dating her while she was underage.
READ: Kim Sae-ron's family files criminal complaint against Kim Soo-hyun
Soo-hyun's side confirmed that the two had been in a relationship but strongly disputed the timeline of the alleged romance. His camp also denied the authenticity of an audio recording released by the actress' family, alleging that it had been generated using artificial intelligence.
Related gallery: Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron's controversy timeline
South Korean police eventually concluded their investigation in July, determining that there was insufficient basis to refer Soo-hyun for prosecution over the Child Welfare Act allegations.
Sae-ron also faced huge financial penalties and lost work after a drunk driving crash in May 2022. She owed this money to her management agency, Gold Medalist, to cover cancelled projects and damages.
Online videos claimed that Soo-hyun ignored her pleas for help. A lawyer for Gold Medalist stated that Soo-hyun was never involved in the financial disputes. The agency stated they wrote off the remaining 700 million won as a company loss in December 2023 because she could not pay. Sae-ron's family stated that the agency sent threatening legal notices to demand payment.
READ: Kim Soo-hyun's agency takes legal action against malicious posts
His return to the public eye had already begun earlier that month. On July 14, Soo-hyun filmed a commercial for a Philippine fashion brand, marking his first official professional activity since the controversy began.
Look back on the fun memories at Kim Soo-hyun's "EYES ON YOU" Manila fan meet here:
