Seoul court orders Ji Soo's former label to pay $1M
What's the story
The 31st civil division of the Seoul Central District Court has ruled that KeyEast, South Korean actor Ji Soo's former management label, must pay approximately $1M (1,421,470,000 KRW) in damages. This decision on July 25, 2024, stems from a controversy involving Ji Soo's school bullying accusations which disrupted the production of the KBS2 drama River Where the Moon Rises. The drama had already aired six episodes in 2021 when Ji Soo publicly apologized and stepped down from his role.
Controversy
Actor's bullying controversy disrupted drama production
In 2021, Ji Soo was accused of school bullying while he was starring as the male lead in River Where the Moon Rises, a K-drama produced by Victory Contents. The controversy led to Ji Soo's public apology and his subsequent departure from the series after six episodes had already been aired. This necessitated the re-filming of the series with actor Na In-woo as a replacement for Ji Soo.
Compensation
KeyEast ordered to compensate for financial implications
The court ordered KeyEast to compensate Victory Contents for the inconvenience and financial implications caused by Ji Soo's controversy. Following these events, Ji Soo's contract with KeyEast was terminated. The actor subsequently enlisted for his mandatory military service. In 2023, after completing his service, Ji Soo announced that he had reached a settlement with his school bullying accuser.