Kim Soo-hyun appears emotional in 1st public event since controversy

Actor Kim Soo-hyun appeared visibly emotional as he returned to the spotlight, making a rare television appearance in Indonesia and performing for fans after largely stepping away from public activities amid controversy over his private life.

Kim appeared as a special guest on Indonesian private broadcaster RCTI's 37th anniversary live show, "Mahakarya RCTI 37," on Sunday.

The roughly four-hour live program celebrated the 37th anniversary of RCTI, one of Indonesia's major private broadcasters. Kim took part in both a performance and an interview, meeting local fans in person.

Dressed in a white suit with a black bow tie, Kim greeted the audience in Korean.

"Hello, I'm Kim Soo-hyun. Thank you for inviting me to such a meaningful occasion today," he said.

Kim then performed "Dreaming," a song from the soundtrack of the 2011 KBS drama "Dream High." The track has long been associated with the actor, who played aspiring singer Song Sam-dong in the hit series that helped propel him to stardom.

The performance was not without a few shaky moments. Kim appeared nervous at the beginning, coming in slightly late and briefly struggling with his pitch. He smiled as if embarrassed by the mistake before regaining his composure and continuing the song.

It was the audience's response afterward, however, that appeared to affect him most.

As cheers filled the venue, Kim stood silently looking toward the crowd. He pressed his lips together, closed his eyes and smiled, appearing to hold back a surge of emotion before waving to fans.

The appearance had drawn attention even before the broadcast because it marked Kim's first official event in which he appeared directly before the public since suspending his activities following allegations concerning his past relationship with late actor Kim Sae-ron.

Kim halted his entertainment activities after allegations surfaced in March last year that he had dated Kim when she was still a minor. Kim later acknowledged that the two had been in a relationship but strongly denied that it began while she was underage, saying they dated only after she became an adult.

Kim Se-ui, head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, which raised allegations involving the actor, has since been detained and indicted on charges including defamation by making allegations based on false information. He is currently in custody.

Separately, Seoul's Seongdong Police Station decided July 29 not to refer Kim Soo-hyun to prosecutors in a case involving allegations of violating the Child Welfare Act and making a false accusation.

While legal disputes surrounding the controversy continue, Kim has recently begun gradually expanding his activities, particularly outside Korea.

He was named a model for Philippine fashion brand BENCH and participated in its campaign before making his latest appearance in Indonesia.

Kim is also scheduled to hold a large-scale fan meeting Oct. 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Manila. The venue can accommodate around 20,000 people, setting the stage for another major encounter with his overseas fan base.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.