A Return to the Spotlight
South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun stepped back into the public eye this week after more than a year away, appearing as a special guest at Mahakarya RCTI 37, a live show marking the 37th anniversary of Indonesian broadcaster RCTI. The appearance was his first official public event since suspending his entertainment activities amid controversy over his relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron.
Multiple reports describe the scene: Kim, wearing a white suit with a black bow tie, greeted the audience in Korean. "Hello, I'm Kim Soo-hyun. Thank you for inviting me to such a meaningful occasion today," he said, according to a report from The Korea Times. The roughly four-hour program included a performance and an interview, with Kim singing "Dreaming," a song from the soundtrack of the 2011 KBS drama "Dream High," in which he played aspiring singer Song Sam-dong.
The actor appeared nervous at the start, coming in slightly late and briefly struggling with his pitch. He smiled as if embarrassed before recovering and continuing the song. But the emotional high point came after, according to a The Korea Times account: as cheers filled the venue, Kim stood silently, pressed his lips together, closed his eyes, and smiled as if holding back a surge of emotion, before waving to fans.
The broadcast was carried by RCTI's official social media account, which later posted thanks and shared a video of his appearance. The Korea Times also noted that video shared through RCTI's official account showed Kim smiling and greeting a large crowd of local fans, waving with both hands, giving thumbs-up, and making heart gestures. Some fans were seen crying at seeing him in person.
A Divisive Comeback
While the warm reception in Indonesia was widely noted, the return also swiftly became a topic of online debate. Times Now reported that the actor's first major public appearance in over a year drew both support and criticism on X. One emotional fan wrote, "I've felt so many emotions watching his arrival, but this one hit me differently. After such a long time, seeing Soohyun speaking in front of cameras and reporters again... ahh, my heart is so weak for this." Another commented, "Thank you for staying strong and making it through such a difficult time, Soo-hyun. You can't stop people from hating you or judging you based on their own perceptions, but I hope you'll take in only the positive energy."
Times Now also carried critical posts, though it did not reproduce them in the excerpts provided. The report noted that some online users used harsh language, with exact quotes such as \"gross\" and \"pedophile\" appearing in an extract. The source material for this article includes two The Korea Times articles, a Times Now piece, and a Yonhap News English dispatch. The Yonhap report did not mention online reactions, focusing on the procedural aspects of the case.
Legal and Online Disputes
The appearance came against an ongoing legal backdrop. Allegations that Kim had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor surfaced in March last year. Kim acknowledged that the two had a relationship but denied that it began while she was underage, saying they dated only after she became an adult, per The Korea Times and Yonhap. In a press conference, he rejected the minor-relationship claims and said he filed defamation complaints against YouTuber Kim Se-ui and the late actress's family.
Yonhap reported that conservative YouTuber Kim Se-ui, head of the channel Hover Lab, was arrested over allegedly spreading false and fabricated information about the actor's relationship with the late actress. The same report stated that Hover Lab raised the allegations in March 2025 after the actress was found dead at her home the previous month, after an apparent suicide at the age of 24.
According to Yonhap, police recently dropped an underage dating charge against Kim, citing a\"lack of evidence.\" A more specific matter came to The Korea Times, which reported that Seoul's Sungdong Police Station decided on July 29 not to forward Kim to prosecutors on allegations of violating the Child Welfare Act and making a false accusation. Times Now also mentioned a police probe in a general way, saying the investigation found no grounds for the claims.
One outlet—Times Now—also said some material used as evidence had been fabricated or manipulated. This is a single-source claim, and the degree of corroboration is limited, but the report quoting that finding directly. The Korea Times and Yonhap did mention that Kim Se-ui was detained and indicted for defamation by publicly alleging false information, which aligns with the idea that some evidence was deemed problematic.
Future Plans
Kim Soo-hyun recently began resuming activities primarily outside Korea. He was named a model for Philippine fashion brand BENCH and has appeared in campaigns for the brand. Yonhap also noted that Kim is scheduled to visit the Philippines in October to participate in a fan event organized by a local fashion brand. The Korea Times added further detail: Kim is expected to hold a large-scale fan meeting on October 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, a venue with a capacity of about 20,000 people.
This return marks a significant step for the actor, who had largely withdrawn from public events. Whether the divided public opinion will follow him remains to be seen, but the overseas welcome was documented strongly in this reporting.