On July 14, Philippine clothing brand Bench announced Kim Soo Hyun’s return as one of its endorsement models through its official social media account. Alongside photos of the actor smiling while holding a bouquet of flowers, the brand wrote, “Reunited with your Bench family, Kim Soo Hyun.”
The campaign marks Kim Soo Hyun’s first official activity since he suspended his career following last year’s personal controversy.
Shortly after the post was published, fans noticed that Jung Hae In had clicked the “Like” button on the announcement. Although the post was uploaded by the brand rather than Kim Soo Hyun himself, many interpreted the gesture as a show of encouragement for his friend’s return.
Jung Hae In’s action attracted attention because it echoed the stance he maintained throughout Kim Soo Hyun’s controversy last year. The two actors, both born in 1988, have built a close friendship often referred to by fans as the “88z” and appeared together on MBC’s variety program Good Day.
When Kim Soo Hyun halted his activities and was reportedly edited out of television content during the controversy, some netizens urged Jung Hae In to unfollow him on social media. However, Jung never publicly responded to those demands and continued following Kim’s account. His recent “like” on the comeback announcement has been viewed as another sign that he continues to support his friend.
Kim Soo Hyun stepped away from public activities in March last year after YouTube channel operator Kim Se Ui of Garosero Research Institute raised allegations regarding the actor’s relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron and claims surrounding the circumstances of her death.
Kim Soo Hyun firmly denied allegations that he had dated Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor and addressed the issue at a press conference before pursuing legal action. The controversy also affected his acting projects, with production on Season 2 of Disney+’s Knock-Off being suspended near the end of filming, while the release of Season 1 was postponed indefinitely.
According to the reported results of the investigation, audio recordings and KakaoTalk conversations released by Kim Se Ui were found to have been manipulated using generative artificial intelligence (AI). Last month, Kim Se Ui was indicted while in custody on multiple charges, including criminal defamation through the dissemination of false information, violations of South Korea’s anti-stalking law, violations of sexual violence-related laws, attempted coercion, and intimidation.
Following those developments, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency issued a statement thanking supporters who had continued to believe in and wait for the actor, officially signaling the beginning of his return to public activities.
Sources: Daum
You must be logged in to post a comment.