Kim Soo Hyun’s upcoming K-drama Knock Off, alongside actor Jo Bo Ah, the production of which was earlier paused according to a representative of Disney, stirred debate suddenly this week after a promotional picture of the actor was released online. The poster swept all top trends in no time, with the internet divided over their views. Kim Soo Hyun has been embroiled in a dating controversy with late actor Kim Sae Ron, following which the top star of South Korea saw quite a few professional setbacks—losing big brand deals, projects, and facing lawsuits demanding compensation. The recent promotional photo has critics bashing the OTT platform for profiting off the controversy.
Kim Soo Hyun’s Knock Off poster released
After the huge global and commercial success of Queen of Tears, Kim Soo Hyun was set to make his comeback with the crime-action drama set in South Korea’s IMF era. However, back in April, the drama was reported to be ‘halted for an indefinite period’ after the actor was accused of dating a minor, followed by alleged evidence surfacing from a YouTube channel and a lawsuit by the bereaved family. On May 2, a promotional poster featuring the actor surfaced online, and it instantly caught buzz. At first, a few thought it might be some fan-made pictures. However, some dug into the source and found that the picture was uploaded on the official IMDb site, meaning it had to come from an official source. But with Knock-Off still officially postponed, it’s still unclear what exactly is going on behind the scenes. Nevertheless, the confusing move is not sitting well with netizens. While there are also a few defending and demanding the release, many have expressed confusion and criticism toward Disney+. No word from Disney yet.
Still trending and it’s just a picture!
But it’s a picture I can’t stop looking at 😍😍😍@DisneyPlusKR@DisneyPlus#김수현 #KimSooHyun #knockoff #金秀賢 #キムスヒョン #คิมซูฮยอน #WeStandWithKimSooHyun pic.twitter.com/jj3j7aRizI
— Ana0216 (@dramaLove05) May 2, 2025
Story continues below this ad
Also read: Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon sweep Baeksang popularity vote, surpassing IU and Park Bo Gum with overwhelming support
“Wow, I guess they’re really going ahead with it anyway,” a user commented on the newly surfaced picture. “So it’s not even revealing a new cast member or anything, it’s just a new picture of him? Lol,” another said. “I thought the show was cancelled, though?” a third commented. However, some fans of Soo Hyun jumped into the conversation, demanding the release. “We’re ready for Knock-Off! Cancel culture isn’t a big deal in our country, so please don’t hold it back—let the world, including us, stream Kim Soo Hyun’s powerful new series!” one wrote. “Millions of #KimSooHyun fans around the world are waiting for Knock-Off with great anticipation. Please don’t let baseless rumours overshadow our genuine support,” another fan added.
According to official IMDb synopsis, Knock Off is about, “Kim Seong Jun, an ordinary man who lost his job during the IMF crisis, who jumps into the counterfeit goods business in the late 20th century and grows into the world’s counterfeit goods king in the 21st century, not just in South Korea.”
4 brands have sued Kim Soo Hyun so far
According to the report, two companies named ‘A and B’ earlier sued the Queen of Tears star for reimbursement and compensation of damages caused by his recent controversy, with the combined amount mounting to approx. $2.1 million. Meanwhile, Soo Hyun and his agency,, Gold Medalist, have launched lawsuits against Kim Sae Ron’s family and YouTuber Kim Se Ui for spreading misinformation and breaching privacy. Amid this, a third company ‘C’ was reported to have terminated the modelling contract with the actor and, as reported by Allkpop, is said to be planning a lawsuit against him. “Kim Soo Hyun signed advertising model contracts with 15 different brands, and based on domestic contracts, he is said to have been paid around 1 billion to 1.2 billion won [approximately $698,000 to $837,000] in model fees per contract,” said attorney Park Sung Woo, representing these lawsuits. Following this, a fourth company, apparently a retail company, on May 1 also sued the actor for 2.8 billion KRW.
