It¡¯s been a tense few weeks for fans of Kim Soo Hyun. Ever since his name got dragged into a controversy involving the late actress Kim Sae Ron, everything from brand deals to future projects seemed to hit pause. But this week, a small update sparked massive reactions online. Disney+ quietly released a promotional poster for his new drama Knock Off, despite the show still being officially delayed.
The unexpected move caught everyone off guard. The poster went viral almost instantly, and fans are taking it as a glimmer of hope that Kim Soo Hyun might finally be returning to screens after a rough patch.
On May 2, a promotional image of Knock Off featuring Kim Soo Hyun popped up online and made its way across fan pages within hours. At first, many assumed it was fan-made, but it was later revealed that it came straight from IMDb, a reliable indicator that the poster had been uploaded officially. However, the poster was not shared on official social media handles of Disney+.
While Disney+ hasn¡¯t released a statement, the fact that the image is out there has fans believing the platform hasn¡¯t pulled the plug entirely on the drama.
Knock Off, starring Kim Soo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah, was supposed to be his big follow-up after the blockbuster success of Queen of Tears. The crime-action series is set during South Korea¡¯s IMF crisis and had fans hyped for a gritty, intense ride. But things took a turn in April.
Reports emerged that production was halted indefinitely, shortly after Kim Soo Hyun was linked to Kim Sae Ron, who passed away earlier this year. A YouTube channel shared alleged proof of their relationship, which landed him in legal trouble.
He lost endorsement deals. Scripts stopped coming in, and Knock Off was postponed indefinitely.
While fans were quick to celebrate the poster drop, not everyone was impressed. Some netizens criticised Disney+ for what they saw as an attempt to quietly push the show forward without addressing the elephant in the room. Others accused the platform of trying to profit off controversy, pointing to the confusing timing and lack of updates.
Fans of Kim Soo Hyun, who have been standing beside him despite the controversy, wasted no time turning the moment into a full-blown celebration.
"Me liking every single tweet/post?about his new release picture and seeing how overly excited everyone is. Dear @DisneyPlusKR @DisneyPlusBR @DisneyPlusSG Kindly release the knockoff," one user wrote.??
?Another fan penned a lengthy note, highlighting that Kim Soo Hyun gave his everything to the drama and it deserves to be released.
"We should be celebrating right now. Counting down the days to see Kim Soo Hyun shine again. But instead, we¡¯re stuck waiting¡ªhurting¡ªbecause Disney+ is holding back. Knock Off.
This isn¡¯t just about a drama. It¡¯s about watching a man who gave everything¡ªhis time, his heart, his craft¡ªbe left in limbo while lies shout louder than the work he dedicated himself to.
It¡¯s about us, too. His fans. We¡¯ve spent months emotionally drained, standing by him, defending him without even the comfort of seeing what he worked so hard to bring to life.
We¡¯re excited, yes. But we¡¯re also aching. Because Kim Soo Hyun deserves joy, not silence. He deserves applause, not delay.
Let Knock Off rise. Let healing begin¡ªfor him and for all of us who've never stopped believing."
Whether Knock Off drops next month or later this year, the response to one poster made it clear that Kim Soo Hyun still has the support of millions, and fans are ready to cheer him on through anything, and a comeback is not a far-fetched dream.?
For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage?here.?