Actor Kim Soo Hyun has emerged as the top 'hot icon' in the broadcasting world. Starring in tvN's 'Queen of Tears' for the first time in three years, he quickly secured a viewership rating in the double digits, marking a steep upward trend. 

● Variety shows for promotion join the ranks of hot topics

'Queen of Tears' depicts the process of Kim Soo Hyun, a lawyer from a rural village, and a rich heir Kim Ji-won, recovering their love after facing a divorce crisis three years into their marriage.

For the first time since his debut, Kim Soo Hyun took on the role of a married man, expressing tender paternal love by crying over a miscarried child. Along with his on-screen wife Kim Ji-won, he portrays the romance of a real couple who bicker yet care for each other.

With his unique acting captivating viewers, the drama maintained a steady viewership in the 10% range after surpassing 13% on its 4th episode on the 17th. It entered the 'Global Top 10' non-English TV shows on Netflix immediately upon release.

Even variety shows he appeared on for promotional purposes became hot topics. The YouTube content 'Salon de Lip2', featuring him, Kim Ji-won, and Park Sung-hoon as guests, surpassed 3.9 million views just four days after its release on the 24th. 

The drama and Kim Soo Hyun's appearance on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' on the 13th both ranked first in the TV·OTT buzzworthy category according to the research company Good Data Corporation.

● Sudden dating rumors also spark interest

Foreign media outlets, including Forbes in the USA and South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, have shown interest in "Kim Soo Hyun's comeback drama."

Screen Rant, a US pop culture media outlet, stated, "Kim Soo Hyun is one of the highest-paid actors in Korea," and praised him for "bringing life to a narrative where he fights for love amidst seemingly insurmountable challenges."

Actor Kim Sae-ron was embroiled in dating rumors after posting a photo with Kim Soo Hyun.

Amidst this, dating rumors with 12-year-younger junior Kim Sae-ron surfaced on the 24th, further fueling public interest. Early that day, Kim Sae-ron uploaded a photo on SNS of her cheek to cheek with Kim Soo Hyun, which she quickly deleted, sparking dating suspicions. 

She was a part of the same agency, Gold Medalist, as Kim Soo Hyun until 2022, leaving the agency in June of that year due to a DUI controversy.

The agency stated, "The dating rumors are groundless," and explained, "The photo was taken when they were under the same agency, and Kim Sae-ron's intentions for posting it on SNS are completely unknown." 

They also mentioned, "Unnecessary misunderstandings and speculation are rampant because of the photo," and declared legal action against malicious slander.