Actor Kim Soo Hyun is set to make his first public appearance since his recent personal controversy, which led him to temporarily suspend his activities. Reports indicate that 50 police officers will be deployed in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where Kim Soo Hyun will participate in a fan meeting at the 'Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival' hosted by a convenience store.
According to Taiwanese media outlet ET Today on March 21 (local time), Kim Soo Hyun will attend the event on March 30. The local police plan to deploy 50 officers at the event to maintain order and handle any illegal or disorderly behavior that may occur during the fan meeting.
Kim Soo Hyun recently faced significant backlash over personal issues, which led to the suspension of multiple advertising contracts. The upcoming fan meeting at the 'Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival' is expected to mark his first public appearance since the controversy. Despite the backlash, the event organizers confirmed that the fan meeting would proceed as planned, stating, "The event is still proceeding according to the contract."
The 'Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival,' overseen by the Qianzhen branch, will take place from March 28 to March 30, 2025. Police confirmed that the deployment of 50 officers is part of general security measures for the festival, not specifically for Kim Soo Hyun. They also noted that the event organizers had not requested additional security measures. However, the fan meeting itself is expected to have a significant police presence.
Tickets for Kim Soo Hyun's fan meeting will be distributed through a lottery system, with only those aged 18 and above eligible to participate. About 200 fans were selected through the lottery for the 40-minute event. The fan meeting is free of charge, aside from the general admission fee for the Cherry Blossom Festival.
While Kim Soo Hyun’s reputation has suffered due to the recent controversy, the event organizers remain committed to holding the fan meeting as planned. However, public interest remains high as to whether the event will proceed smoothly. The organizers clarified that since the tickets were distributed for free, they would not accommodate refund, transfer, resale, or exchange requests even if the event is modified or canceled.
Criticism from Taiwanese fans and media has been mounting toward both Kim Soo Hyun and the local event organizers. There has been a surge in refund requests for Cherry Blossom Festival tickets, but Taiwan’s Consumer Protection Office stated that since the fan meeting is part of a broader festival and not a standalone concert, refunds are unlikely.
Kim Soo Hyun was recently embroiled in a scandal involving allegations that he had engaged in a grooming relationship with actress Kim Sae Ron during her teenage years. The controversy erupted after the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute aired claims based on allegations from late Kim Sae Ron’s family, demanding an official apology from Kim Soo Hyun and his agency.
Kim Soo Hyun's side admitted to dating Kim Sae Ron but clarified that their relationship began when she was already an adult, from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020. They have strongly denied any wrongdoing and announced plans to take legal action against Garosero Research Institute over the allegations.
On March 20, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, filed a formal complaint against Garosero Research Institute and late Kim Sae Ron’s family members over defamation and false accusations. Despite the mounting controversy, the upcoming fan meeting is expected to test Kim Soo Hyun’s ability to recover from the scandal and regain public trust.
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