Amid the current controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun's alleged relationship with Kim Saeron, questions were also raised about the actor's family connection to Lee Sa Rang (aliases Lee Jae Hyun and Lee Ro Be).
This comes after Dispatch brought attention to the infamous 2017 film Real, written and directed by Lee under a pseudonym.
Kim Soo Hyun's cousin, Lee Sa Rang, was involved in a scandal after Dispatch reported him as affiliated with the production company Cove Pictures.
According to the outlet, he directed Real while hiding his relationship with Kim Soo Hyun, which has led to rampant speculation about their family ties.
The film was widely panned and ultimately made back only around KRW 3 billion (USD 2.08 million) against a production budget of about KRW 11.5 billion (USD 7.93 million).
The film received scathing reviews for its bland storyline and shoddy production values, with many asking how such a substantial budget was even spent.
Dispatch found that Real originated from Real Munjeonsa, a company established in 2015 and headed by Lee Jae Hyun as CEO. Cove Pictures was founded in 2016, with Real being its first property.
The two companies also had an address in Seongsu-dong, which is the same location that Kim Soo Hyun lives at.
Unexpectedly, though, in 2016, Lee Jae Hyun changed his name to Lee Ro Be. The name is derived from a traditional Korean word for "love," which translates to "sarang." So then came the name Lee Sa Rang, the same name credited as the director of Real.
Lee directed Prison Playbook after the previous director, Lee Jeong Seob, bowed out. Lee Jeong Seob later clarified that this was due to creative differences and not any allegations of wrongdoing, citing Lee's inexperience in filmmaking.
Criticism of the film not only arose because of its narrative shortcomings but also for depicting misogynist portrayals of women.
Dispatch took to criticizing the 60s-inspired film for limiting actresses to mere sex, drugs, and casino scenes.
For example, the late singer-actress Sulli starred in a nude scene that received a massive backlash from the public.
Dispatch described the situation as a "family plot," claiming that one brother handled the financing while the other used his celebrity status to bring attention to the matter.
Insiders are saying that Lee Sa Rang is actually Kim Soo Hyun's half-brother after all.
Other netizens have dug up Kim Soo Hyun's family tree and suggest that Lee Sa Rang is the child of Kim Soo Hyun's biological mother and her first husband, while Kim Soo Hyun is, in fact, the child of her second husband.
The public also became sour at the prospect of discussing Kim Soo Hyun's family ties. Netizens expressed displeasure with the film's handling and disappointment over their perceived exploitation of the actresses involved.
"What the hell. These guys are total thugs, " one user at only community forum theqoo wrote. "Trash posing as an artist," another user commented while adding, "The content of this film was so absolutely disgusting that I turned off the crappy movie after three minutes. But it turned out all to be a money game."
