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'Selfish', Kim Soo Hyun gets blamed for Queen of Tears Baeksang Arts Awards snub amid Kim Sae Ron scandal
Kim Soo Hyun faces backlash as Queen of Tears misses 2025 Baeksang noms, with netizens blaming him for the snub amid dating scandal with late Kim Sae Ron. Read more here!
The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards has stirred up a wave of online outrage, with actor Kim Soo Hyun at the center of heated discussions. A segment of fans and netizens are placing the blame squarely on him for the absence of Queen of Tears from this year’s nomination list. The highly successful drama, which aired in early 2024, did not receive a single nod for the 2025 awards, triggering disappointment among loyal viewers who had hoped to see the cast and crew recognized.
Some voices on social media are accusing Kim Soo Hyun of sabotaging the show’s chances through his scandal involving late actress Kim Sae Ron. According to these critics, his alleged actions negatively impacted not just his own image but also jeopardized the recognition of his co-stars, the director, and the production team.
They argue that his controversial tactics, including recent attempts to draw attention back to Queen of Tears at the press conference, came across as opportunistic, especially as it coincided with the awards season timeline. His decision to publicly mention the drama shortly before the nominations were revealed is being interpreted by some as a last-ditch attempt to reframe the narrative and portray himself as supportive of the team.
The controversy started with claims concerning Kim Soo Hyun's past relationship with Kim Sae Ron, who tragically passed away in February 2025. Allegations surfaced suggesting that the two were involved in a romantic relationship that began when Kim Sae Ron was a minor. Kim Soo Hyun's agency, GOLDMEDALIST, has firmly denied these claims, stating that the relationship occurred between the summer of 2019 and the fall of 2020, after Kim Sae Ron had reached adulthood.
In response to the escalating situation, Kim Soo Hyun has expressed distress over the allegations and has reiterated that his relationship with Kim Sae Ron did not occur during her minority in the emergency press conference. However, many netizens were unconvinced by this clarification and took issue with what they perceived as evasive and selfish behavior during the media appearance.
Critics argue that his demeanor at the press event only reinforced long-standing assumptions about his self-interest. They point out how he centered the narrative around himself, rather than expressing regret or concern for how the scandal might affect others, including the Queen of Tears cast. The outrage deepened when it appeared he tried to link the drama to his reasons for denying the dating rumors, an explanation that many felt was both calculated and tone-deaf.
Meanwhile, a separate group of fans is pushing back against the criticism. They have stepped in to clarify how Baeksang nomination criteria actually work, emphasizing that the eligibility window for the 2025 awards does not include Queen of Tears, which aired in March 2024. According to them, the drama had already been considered for the 2024 Baeksang Arts Awards, where Kim Soo Hyun himself was nominated for Best Actor.
These fans are frustrated by what they see as uninformed accusations, calling out others for spreading misinformation and insisting that Queen of Tears had its fair shot last year.
The divide between these two camps has made the conversation around Kim Soo Hyun even more intense. While some believe he tainted the legacy of a beloved drama with scandal and personal drama, others argue that the drama's award journey has simply run its course and is being wrongly tied to unrelated controversies.
