Disney+ remains silent on ‘Knock Off’ as Kim Soo-hyun controversy drags on

Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

Disney+ has quietly removed “Knock Off,” starring Kim Soo-hyun, from its lineup of upcoming releases for the second half of the year. The platform also declined to comment on the series' halted production or potential penalty fees.

On Friday, Walt Disney Company Korea hosted its “Disney+ Open House” at the Gangnam Finance Center in Seoul’s Yeoksam-dong. The event was attended by Choi Yeon-woo, head of local content at Walt Disney Company Korea, along with Kim Won-kook of “Made in Korea” producer HIVE Media Corp. and Yoo Jung-hoon of “A Shop for Killers” producer Merry Christmas.

Choi unveiled Disney+’s slate of second-half releases, including “Polaris” starring Jun Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won, “Made in Korea” with Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung, “Low Life” featuring Ryu Seung-ryong, Yang Se-jong and Lim Soo-jung, “Turbid Stream” starring Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun and Park Seo-ham, and “The Manipulated” with Ji Chang-wook and Doh Kyung-soo.

However, “Knock Off,” once touted as a major release for the first half of 2024, was noticeably absent. The show has been in limbo since Kim Soo-hyun became embroiled in a personal controversy earlier this year.

Choi addressed the matter by saying, “Disney+’s official position is that the release has been postponed after careful internal review. Beyond that, we cannot provide any further updates,” adding that no new developments had been shared since the platform’s initial announcement.

Reportedly produced at a cost of 60 billion won ($44 million), “Knock Off” was filming its second season when the controversy broke in March. Most of the domestic filming had wrapped, and the team was preparing for an overseas shoot in Miami, Florida in April.

As the controversy surrounding Kim persisted, Disney+ officially postponed the series release. Although production resumed briefly, it was ultimately suspended indefinitely within a month. Industry insiders say that even if Kim’s situation is resolved, coordinating the schedules of the full cast and crew to resume and complete production would be extremely difficult.

This has fueled speculation that Disney+ may seek to impose a hefty penalty on Kim, with estimates ranging from tens of billions to up to 180 billion won. When asked about the penalty, Choi declined to comment, saying, “We’re unable to discuss that matter.”

As Kim Soo-hyun’s dispute related to the late actress Kim Sae-ron continues to unfold amid a wave of lawsuits among those involved, attention is now focused on Disney+ and the uncertain fate of “Knock Off.”

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