A petition has been filed demanding Korean actor Kim Jung-hyun, star of the dramas “Mr. Queen,” “Crash Landing on You” and “Time,” to leave the entertainment industry due to the controversies he is facing.
The petition was filed on April 12 on the website of the Office of Korean President Moon Jae-in, or Blue House.
“I am petitioning the actor Kim Jung-hyun, who has recently been caught up in controversy, to leave the entertainment industry,” the petition read, citing the controversies involving the dramas “Mr. Queen” and “Time,” and reports that he contacted another agency for his transfer.
It added, “Not only did (he) participate as the male lead in the historical distortion drama but he recently contacted other agencies 11 months ahead of the contract period with his management company, causing controversy.”
The petition also accused Kim Jung-hyun of “gapjil” or abuse of power against his co-star and on-site staff during the time he filmed the drama “Time” in 2018.
“Viewers have the right not to see controversial actors on the air. The actor in question should be expelled from broadcast,” the petition stated. As of writing, the petition has garnered 473 signatures.
Kim Jung-hyun is facing controversies and issues.
The second episode of “Mr. Queen” drew criticisms from Koreans when Queen Cheorin, played by actress Shin Hye-sun, described as “tabloid’ Korea’s Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, a compilation of historical accounts that happened during the Joseon Dynasty, when it failed to give information about King Cheoljong, played by Kim Jung-hyun, according to the Korea Times.
Kim Jung-hyun is also in dispute with his agency, O& Entertainment, over the period of his contract, which ends in May. The agency insists that his contract should extend by 11 months owing to the period that he took a break after dropping out of “Time” due to health problems.
When Korean media outlet Dispatch reported that he and actress Seo Ji-hye were dating, it was later revealed that Kim Jung-hyun was seeking her help to transfer to her agency, Culture Depot, which revealed that it was discussing a contract with the actor
With regards to “Time,” Dispatch also reported that actress Seo Ye-ji told him not to film scenes involving “skinship” or physical contact and romance.
An SBS report stated that he was very sensitive to doing romantic scenes with Seohyun and he made it known that it should be minimized. The script was revised several times.
In August 2018, it was announced that Kim Jung-hyun would be leaving “Time” due to personal reasons and because of this, the storyline of the drama changed completely, the report added.
A report by Korean media outlet Dispatch on April 12 alleged that actress Seo Ye-ji manipulated Kim Jung-hyun when he was filming “Time.”
In one of the text message exchanges, Kim Jung-hyun told Seo Ye-ji, “I keep reading the script. I’m not doing anything else.”
“Correct it well so there is no romance. You are happy because of me. So make me happier,” she told the actor.
In another set of text messages, he told her, “I am going to read the script” to which she replied, “Yes. Fix it well. No skinship. No romance” and he said, “Sure.”
The report added that from episodes 5 to 12 of “Time,” the script had 13 skinship scenes but none of them made it to the airing.
In a statement by Seo Ye-ji through her agency, Goldmedalist, she admitted that they were lovers but denied manipulating him.
On April 14, Kim Jung-hyun issued an apology to Seohyun and the production staff of “Time” for his behavior during the time they worked together.