Japanese fans of actor Kim Soo-hyun have taken out a full-page newspaper ad calling for his speedy return to the screen.
The open letter, headlined “To Everyone in Korea,” ran as a full-page ad in the Oct. 31 edition of the Chosun Ilbo. It was published on behalf of a “joint team of fan clubs in Japan supporting actor Kim Soo-hyun.”
The group said they have backed Kim since forming a Japanese fan club in 2013 and wanted Korean fans to know their dedication “hasn’t wavered for more than 14 years.”
Explaining why their support endures, the fandom wrote that “Kim Soo-hyun has never once betrayed our expectations―he approaches every role with integrity and delivers outstanding performances,” adding that he “has walked the path of a respected actor in Japan” and “has been honest and has not lied.”
They continued, “He has endured a harsh situation that would break most people for more than half a year while working to prove his innocence. We earnestly hope this one-of-a-kind, globally recognized actor can return to acting in Korea soon, and we ask Korean fans to understand our sincerity and support him as well.”
The controversy surrounding Kim intensified when, on March 10―about a month after the death of the late Kim Sae-ron―members of her bereaved family appeared via the YouTube channel “Hover Lab,” claiming Kim, then in his late 20s, dated her for six years beginning when she was 15.
Kim’s representatives have denied the allegation, stating the two dated for a little over a year only after she became an adult and that there was no relationship during her minor years. His side has pursued legal action, including a damages suit of about 12 billion won against Hover Lab’s head Kim Se-eui and members of the bereaved family.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
