Actor Park Sung Hoon has officially stepped down from his role in tvN's upcoming drama The Tyrant's Chef, following ongoing controversy surrounding an Instagram post.

On January 11th, a tvN representative shared, "After a lot of discussion between the production team and Park Sung Hoon's side, we decided it would be difficult for him to continue with this project."

The statement continued, "Both Park Sung Hoon and his agency have apologized multiple times regarding the situation. After careful thought, the decision was made for the actor and the production to part ways."

The controversy began on December 30th when Park Sung Hoon shared a parody image of Netflix’s Squid Game featuring Japanese AV (adult video) content on his Instagram Story. Although he quickly deleted the post, it spread online, sparking major backlash.

BH Entertainment, Park Sung Hoon's agency, addressed the issue, stating, "Park Sung Hoon accidentally uploaded the image after pressing on a DM (direct message) he received. He was shocked by the mistake and is reflecting deeply on the matter."

However, the public response remained critical. The scheduled script reading for The Tyrant's Chef on February 2nd was canceled, leading to speculation that it was due to the ongoing AV photo scandal. tvN, however, attributed the delay to the national mourning period at the time.

During a February 9th interview about Squid Game Season 2, Park Sung Hoon emotionally opened up about the incident.

"During the show’s release week, I received the image in a DM while sharing audience reactions with a team member. I thought it could be an issue, and while trying to forward it, there was a mistake, and it somehow ended up on my Story", he explained.

He clarified, “I deleted the photo immediately and didn’t watch the video. Some have suggested I uploaded it to a secondary account, but I don’t even have one.”

When asked why he hadn’t shared proof of the problematic DM, Park Sung Hoon responded, "I get so many messages that retrieving one from weeks ago isn’t easy."

Despite his explanations, public opinion hasn’t softened, leading to his exit from the highly anticipated drama. Fans remain divided on whether the incident was a genuine mistake or carelessness on the actor’s part.

Source: [1]

Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, has spoken up about the recent controversy involving the late Sulli and her bed scene in the 2017 movie Real.

On April 2, Gold Medalist released an official statement saying, “From the very beginning, the role of Song Yoohwa, played by the late Sulli, included a bed scene. This was clearly stated during casting, and the actress had to be comfortable with it.”

They explained, “Just like job listings mention necessary qualifications, this role required exposure, and that was made clear in advance. If these things are only discussed after casting, it can create unnecessary pressure on the actor.”

The agency also emphasized, “Sulli and her agency were fully aware of the bed scene before she accepted the role. The script clearly described the level of exposure required, and the contract also included these details.”

Addressing rumors about a body double, they stated, “There was no body double for the acting. A ‘standing actor’ was only used during rehearsals to help with movement cues.”

Gold Medalist also included statements from Real’s assistant director Kim Joong Wook and script supervisor Lee Jun Hyun, confirming, “No actor was ever forced into doing a bed scene or nudity. That would never happen on set.”

As for claims that they contacted Sulli’s mother, the agency denied it and responded to her brother’s accusations, saying, “It’s understandable to have concerns about things heard at the funeral. However, bringing up something from six years ago and spreading false information as if it were personally witnessed is hard to accept.”

Finally, they urged people to stop spreading false rumors, saying, “Many people worked hard on Real, and these baseless accusations are hurtful. Also, there have been false rumors targeting Kim Soo Hyun recently. We sincerely ask for an end to speculative reports and misinformation.”

This comes after the late Sulli’s older brother, Choi, raised concerns on March 28 about the bed scene in Real, demanding answers from Kim Soo Hyun and director Lee Sa Rang.

Source: [1]