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'Boycott Kim Soo Hyun': Demands for Disney to change Knock-Off male lead grow as production remains halted
Kim Soo Hyun's role in Knock-Off sparks outrage—will Disney+ face a boycott? Netizens demand his removal, calling for fairness after Kim Sae Ron’s past led to her being cut from her project.
It took one wrong move for Kim Soo Hyun to find himself in hot water. The actor is now facing intense backlash after allegations emerged of a past relationship with actress Kim Sae Ron reportedly when she was just 16 years old.
The claims, which surfaced on Garosero’s YouTube channel have thrown Kim Soo Hyun’s career into chaos. From losing major brand collaborations to becoming a target of online mockery, his once-sterling image is crumbling fast.
Now, with the production of Disney+’s highly anticipated series Knock-Off currently on pause, netizens are demanding that Kim Soo Hyun be replaced as the male lead. Their reasoning? If Kim Sae Ron was removed from her Netflix project Bloodhounds and saw her screen time drastically cut following her 2022 DUI incident, then the same standard should apply here.
“If they can chop her scenes, we want a new male lead too,” one comment read. Another added, “Either give this series a rating lower than Snow White, or hear us out, Disney+. Kim Soo Hyun is a P*do. Please prove that you are child friendly!” The pressure continues to mount with threats of a mass boycott: “Disney+, we’re boycotting Kim Soo Hyun. Cancel Knock Off or expect a MAJOR backlash.”
These calls for action have taken a more emotional turn since the revelation of Kakoa chats, letters and alleged videos of Kim Soo Hyun and late actress Kim Sae Ron. Many see the campaign not just as accountability for Kim Soo Hyun, but also as a demand for justice for Sae Ron. She was 24 years old when she committed s*icide on February 16, 2025.
Knock Off, slated for a major production reveal in April 2025, is now caught in limbo. It is a gritty crime-action drama that follows Kim Seong Jun (played by Kim Soo Hyun), whose life is derailed during South Korea’s IMF era. Actress Jo Bo Ah stars alongside him as Song Hye Jung, a no-nonsense judicial officer determined to take down a powerful counterfeit ring.
Whether Disney+ will stick by its lead or make a bold casting change remains to be seen. But one thing is clear—the public isn’t letting this slide quietly.
