Disney+ Korean Series “Knock Off” Release Delayed Due To Kim Sooh-yun Controversy
Disney has had plenty of success with its original dramas from Korea, such as “Moving”, “Big Bet”, and most recently, “Hyper Knife”. One of the many Korean originals currently in development is “Knock Off”, which is a thrilling new drama series exploring the shady world of counterfeit goods.
It follows a man whose life is turned upside down by the Asian financial crisis, known as the IMF crisis in Korea. Starting as an ordinary office worker, he rises to become a global kingpin in the counterfeit goods market.
The new series stars Kim Sooh-yun and Cho Bo-ah. It is directed by Park Hyeon-seok and written by Han Jung-hoon, who previously worked together on the Netflix series, “Song of the Bandits”.
While the series was due to be released on Disney+ worldwide later this month, its release has now been cast in doubt following allegations of a past relationship Kim Sooh-yun had with the late Kim Sae Ron during her teenage years and claims that he pressured her to repay debts. Apparently, the pair had been in a relationship for six years, but she was only 15 years old when they started dating, and he was 27. Kim Sae Ron tragically committed suicide earlier this year at the age of 24.
Kim Soo Hyun recently held a press conference where he vehemently denied all of the allegations related to Kim Sae Ron.
When the news of the controversy came to light, a Disney+ spokesperson said that the show’s release had been put on hold “after careful consideration.” However, after the amount of interest in the show following the press conference, it is now being reported that “Knock-Off” is no longer currently on the release schedule for Disney+. “
It’s also been estimated that Kim Soo Hyun may be liable for a penalty between $12 million to $120 million, depending on his contract, should the show be cancelled entirely due to the personal scandal. Kim Soo Hyun has taken legal action stating that he should not be held responsible for breaching his contract or facing penalties and that any decision shouldn’t be made before it goes to court.
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Roger Palmer
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