South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun cancels planned visit to Kaohsiung

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun, known for his role in TV series "My Love from the Star," has canceled his visit to Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, amid controversy surrounding the death of his ex-girlfriend, South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron.

The announcement was made by President Chain Store Corp., the organizer of the three-day Sakura Festival, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, stating that Kim Soo-hyun would not be attending "due to a change in his schedule."

Sunday's event will proceed as planned, except for Kim's scheduled appearance at the end of the night, President Chain Store Corp., which runs 7-Eleven convenience stores, said on its 7-Eleven Facebook pages.

Those who purchased tickets for that day can ask for a full refund from 10 a.m. next Monday until 11:59 p.m. on April 15, the company said.

The 37-year-old actor's canceled visit to the port city comes amid mounting backlash following the death of Kim Sae-ron, a former child star who took her own life on Feb. 16 -- the same day as Kim Soo-hyun's birthday.

According to media reports from South Korea, Kim Sae-ron's parents claimed that Kim Soo-hyun, who is about 12 years older than their daughter, had been in a six-year relationship with her, beginning when she was underage at 15. They presented photos and letters as evidence to support their claims.

Kim Sae-ron later signed with Gold Medalist, an agency founded in 2019 that also represents Kim Soo-hyun, the reports said.

However, her parents allege that the agency mishandled their daughter's affairs following a drunk driving incident in 2022. They claimed that the company sought 700 million KRW (US$477,067) in compensation from her to cover money it had loaned her to pay fines and breach-of-contract penalties.

A close friend of Kim Sae-ron's mother was cited as saying that Kim Soo-hyun worked with the agency to demand repayment from the actress.

Her parents further alleged that the financial pressure placed on their daughter may have contributed to her death.

Following the parents' allegations, Kim Soo-hyun's Instagram account lost 200,000 followers overnight and around 1 million to date.

On March 14, Gold Medalist confirmed the two had been in a relationship but emphasized that they only began dating when Kim Sae-ron was an adult.

Other than "My Love from the Star," Kim Soo-hyun is also known for "Moon Embracing the Sun" and "Queen of Tears."