Jung Haein sparks backlash after publicly supporting Kim Soo-hyun's comeback

In the backdrop of controversy surrounding the death of actress Kim Sae-ron, Kim Soo-hyun has made his slow return to the industry, to the disbelief of South Korean netizens.

On Wednesday, July 15, the actor shared a series of posts linked to his new campaign with Philippine retail chain Bench, which received subtle support from Jung Hae-in, causing immense backlash.

Kim Soo-hyun's return to the entertainment industry

Kim Soo-hyun's return to social media came 16 months after he stepped away from the public eye in March 2025, after becoming a key figure in the controversy surrounding the death of the 24-year-old actress.

After Sae-ron committed suicide on February 16, 2025, on the birth date of Soo-hyun, her family alleged that she was in a relationship with the actor when she was a minor, igniting intense anger.

Following the allegations, Kim Soo-hyun landed in deep troubles and despite the public denial, lost a number of endorsements and projects, with several industry friends unfollowing the star on social media, silently distancing themselves from the Queen of Tears actor.

Jung Hae-in shows support for Kim Soo-hyun

However, Youtuber Eun Hyeon-jeong recently highlighted that actor Jung Hae-in, who share a close friendship with the controversial star, never unfollowed Soo-hyun on Instagram and now upon his return showed his support via liking the post.

Ben Chan, chairman of Bench, posted a photo taken with the actor on his social media account, along with the message, "We met the brand again."

In the photo, Kim Soo-hyun beamed as he stood next to Ben, holding a large bouquet of flowers and striking a V pose.

The Instagram post became a hot topic, not just because of Soo-hyun's return but also the public support Hae-in showed by leaving a "like", drawing immense backlash.

Fans, who had been urging the Snowdrop actor to unfollow Soo-hyun since the controversy erupted, flooded the social media platforms, calling out Hae-in.

"Ewwhh...this is so disturbing. How can anyone actually defend this?" one user wrote on X.

"He knows what his friend did, he still chooses to support him! He's no different," another post read.

A third fan noted, "birds of a feather, i guess. another celebrity making it easier for me to unfollow."

Kim Soo-hyun set for industry comeback

Moreover, as per industry insiders, Kim Soo-hyun has received over 40 drama and film offers, and he is currently considering his next role to make his official comeback.

Kim Soo-hyun's legal disputes

Kim Soo-hyun halted public activities after Garo Sero Institute raised allegations related to the late Kim Sae-ron on its YouTube channel in March last year.

At the time, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency Goldmedalist denied the allegations entirely and took legal action. 

Following a year of legal battle, Garo Sero Institute head Kim Se-ui was arrested last month on charges including defamation by spreading false information under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, violations of the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, attempted coercion, and intimidation.