Actor Kim Jung Hyun captured the attention of the entertainment world after publicly apologizing during the 2024 KBS Drama Awards.
His recent address has led to a fresh influx of curiosity around the exit of " The Time" scriptwriter Choi Ho Chul from the 2018 MBC drama.
#KimJungHyun apologized for his past attitude controversy at the #2024KBSDramaAwards:
— K-Drama Handle (@kdramahandle) January 11, 2025
"There was a time when I hurt and frowned at many people with extremely bad behavior and actions that should not have been done. I like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize."
"I... pic.twitter.com/muwtXyjLWz
In addition, Kim Jung Hyun, who is also known for his roles in various dramas, expressed remorse for the past, saying, "I am apologizing for times when I did better or did something I shouldn't have done."
He is making these apologies years later after controversy during the filming of "Time," where he was accused of inappropriate behavior towards Girls' Generation star Seohyun, who appeared alongside him in the series.
During the show's press conference and
filming, Kim reportedly displayed rude behavior, which he explained was due to him being so much into his character that he was unable to distinguish between filming and real life.
To do something like this to someone as unproblematic and angelic as seohyun should be punishable by law. Kim jung hyun should be cancelled forever pic.twitter.com/gNZnYblgKf https://t.co/2k2zTs6IX0
— noname (@Noirumeee) January 1, 2025
However, a Dispatch report in 2021 claimed that actor Seo Ye Ji, who dated Kim at the time, had an impact on his behavior on set.
Choi Ho Chul is one of the up-and-coming stars in the K-Drama script-writing scene whose past works include the dramas Secret (2013) and Mask (2015 which were both successful. But after "Time," he suddenly disappeared from the scene.
In a 2021 article published by TENASIA, Choi wrote that he had great difficulty through much of production, having to rewrite scripts several times and eliminate "romance" moments per Kim's order.
With a ruptured appendix and a drainage bag attached, Choi continued to work with such commitment.
After the conclusion of the drama, he released a script book for "Time" and shared that there were many romantic scenes that weren't included in the aired version.
The online world has been sympathetic to Choi.
A netizen wrote, "Time was a narrative maker of olden day romantic stories. We don't get those today... I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been."
Another commented, "Wow, I pity the scriptwriter... And all because he was framed to write for the wrong male lead instead."
In the interim, with fans speculating further, Seohyun sent a seemingly cryptic message to her followers, which also suggested her feelings about Kim's apology.
