Actor Kim Sung Cheol is facing criticism after his participation in a controversial poll related to girl group performances sparked a sexual harassment debate.

On February 3rd, Kim Sung Cheol's agency, Story J Company, issued an official apology for his actions. The agency stated, “We realized the wrong behavior due to careless actions.”

They further clarified, “Although, as some community posts suggested, he did not follow the account or repeatedly engage with it, after realizing the controversy surrounding it, he immediately canceled his participation in the poll.”

The agency also acknowledged that the controversy led to other artists being mentioned, and they expressed sincere regret over the unintended impact.

“We’ve directly conveyed our apologies to the agencies of those artists,” a representative shared. They concluded, "Since this mistake happened due to carelessness, we will be more cautious with SNS activities moving forward to prevent it from happening again."

Kim Sung Cheol came under fire after it was revealed that he participated in a poll created by an account that posted edited videos of girl group performances.

These videos, which focused on slow-motion clips of the idols' bodies, were seen by many as provocative and sparked the sexual harassment backlash.

Source: [1]

Kim Soo Hyun has admitted to dating the late Kim Sae Ron but strongly denies that their relationship began when she was a minor.

On March 14, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, released a statement saying, “Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron dated from the summer of 2019, after she became an adult, until the fall of 2020.” They emphasized, “The claim that he was in a relationship with her when she was a minor is not true.”

The agency also clarified that the photos of the two, which were revealed by Garo Sero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) and Kim Sae Ron herself, were taken in 2020 when she was already of legal age.

Regarding the legal implications of the allegations, lawyer Lee Go Eun appeared on YTN News to discuss whether Kim Soo Hyun could face charges if it were proven that he had been in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron when she was underage.

When asked about the possibility of legal punishment, Lee explained, “Under the law revised in May 2020, any physical relationship with a minor under the age of 16, even with consent, could lead to serious charges.”

However, she pointed out a key legal detail, saying, “Before the 2020 revision, the law applied only to minors under 13 years old. Since Kim Sae Ron was 15 in 2015, the legal framework at the time does not classify her as a protected minor in this context.”

Lee concluded, “Given the laws in place at the time, it seems difficult for Kim Soo Hyun to face legal consequences.”

She further added, “For any case to proceed against him, there would need to be clear evidence of more than just dating. Based on what is currently known, holding him legally accountable may be challenging.”

Source: [1]