Kim Soo Hyun's '2014 Badminton power abuse' incident in Thailand resurfaces
AKP STAFF
Posted by Sophie-Ha 5 hours ago 37,665
Amidst the ongoing scandal involving one of Korea's top actors, Kim Soo Hyun, and the late actress Kim Sae Ron, more dirty laundry on the actor is being aired out.
On March 14, Kim Soo Hyun's past controversy resurfaced in a popular online community. The controversy was purportedly more known overseas than in Korea as it happened in Thailand.
The incident happened in 2014 during Kim Soo Hyun's Siam Paragon concert in Thailand. According to a fan overseas, Kim Soo Hyun ordered staff members to tear down the concert hall seating that was already set up so that they could set up a badminton court for him to play late at night.
The fan explained, "He wanted to play badminton late at night, ordered everything to be torn down for a court, then had it reset. He did this multiple times." According to the fan, Kim Soo Hyun even mentioned this as a joke during the fan event.
This was confirmed by another online user who claimed that the individuals pushing the carts to set up the Badminton court were his employees and that they had worked overtime to accommodate Kim Soo Hyun's desires.
According to a Korean netizen, this incident came to light back in 2016 when a gossip forum mentioned a celebrity who had abused his power to set up a badminton court and would abuse local staff whenever he traveled overseas for his schedules.
The leaked gossip at the time shared:
"[Entertainment Radar] Said by 'B' who relies on a physical address book for her double life Article Published: January 8, 2016, 7:01 AM
Top star 'A' may appear diligent and well-mannered, but insiders say he actually has quite an eccentric/diva side. He enjoys immense popularity overseas, and while traveling abroad for promotions, he frequently calls local guides and event staff, even at odd hours like 2 or 3 AM, despite having his agency’s manager accompanying him.
One entertainment industry insider revealed, 'I don’t understand why he contacts local staff directly late at night instead of relaying his requests through his manager. He often causes unnecessary trouble'.''
One comment confirmed the gossip and wrote:
"[Exclusive Tip] 'A's Badminton Incident in Bangkok
Here’s a fact: On March 30, 2014, during a fan meeting at Paragon Dome in Bangkok, everything was set up, including chairs and event materials. However, Kim Soo Hyun suddenly expressed his desire to play badminton. The Thai event coordinator tried to book a nearby badminton court, but Kim rejected it, saying it wasn’t private enough.
As a result, the pre-arranged chairs and event setup had to be removed, and staff scrambled to create a makeshift badminton court using tape. They even rented a net from a nearby court to install at the event venue. Kim Soo Hyun played for about an hour before leaving to prepare for the event, after which the staff had to remove the tape, dismantle the net, and reset the entire venue.
The issue wasn’t that he played badminton, but that he failed to make the request in advance. Locals widely perceived his actions as 'power abuse,' taking advantage of his celebrity status. While this incident is well-known in Thailand, it hasn’t been widely reported in Korea. There is substantial evidence documenting the event."
Korean netizens are revisiting this gossip and continuing to shed light on Kim Soo Hyun's past. They commented:
"I can't believe such blatant power abuse was hidden."
"It's shocking that this was buried;;;; What kind of insane power trip is this;; Who does he think he is;;"
"Living life shamelessly in the worst way."
"I can’t believe this wasn’t exposed before. He really did the most."
"Feels like one of those people who go to Southeast Asia and act like the locals are their servants, thinking they’re royalty."
"Is this real? How was this covered up for so long?"
"How did this stay quiet?"
"So he used to be like this, huh? A few years ago, all he did was play bowling. Ever since he went independent with his own agency, Kim Soo Hyun's personal reputation hasn’t taken much of a hit, and there haven’t been any major issues."
"What a total scumbag."
"Is he insane? Was all of this really hidden?"
"They said in the rumors he acted like a king…"
"Wow, he's really something."
"I hope he's canceled forever."
"This is so shocking..."
"You never know how a person is just by looking at their looks."