Did Kim Soo Hyun use AI script? Netizens call him ‘King of fake tears,’ debate his clenched fists, ‘narcissistic’ attitude

Also read: Kim Soo Hyun’s Instagram sees surprising boost after ‘tearful’ press conference; agency in financial ruin: Report

A viral social media post claimed to have run Kim Soo Hyun’s speech through an AI detection tool, which allegedly found that 93% of his words were AI-generated. Not only was he mocked, but some netizens slammed his speech as ‘long-winded,’ while others demanded solid proof before jumping to conclusions.

During the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun denied dating Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor. He also explained why he had kept their one-year relationship private, stating that revealing it during the peak of his drama, Queen of Tears in 2024 would have negatively affected the show and its production team’s hard work. The Its Okay to Not be Okay star kept sobbing the whole time while also refuting claims of any involvement in Kim Sae Ron’s 700 million KRW debt to their agency, Gold Medalist. However, despite his tearful delivery, the press conference did not include a Q&A session. His emotional display was met with skepticism, critics were quick to accuse him of acting rather than genuinely expressing remorse.

김수현이 하도 장황하게 설명하길래 대본 ai감지기 돌려봣더니 93퍼래 pic.twitter.com/RpryJZOgIM

— gimmikgirl (@nilfver1) March 31, 2025

Kim Soo Hyun criticised for dodging Q&A session

Another controversial moment came when Kim Soo Hyun referred to himself as “Star Kim Soo Hyun.” This self-referential remark did not sit well with many, who quickly labeled him a narcissist on social media. One netizen sarcastically wrote, “The image-conscious star called himself ‘Star Kim Soo Hyun’—get over yourself already.”  One post read, “He keeps talking about himself. What a narcissistic person.”

Also read: Kim Soo-hyun accepts Kim Sae-ron relationship for the first time, denies ‘paedophile’ tag; seeks 12 billion won in damages from her family

Some netizens even speculated whether his clenched fists during the press conference were a sign of frustration or an attempt to fake emotions. A viral TikTok video showed him walking away with clenched fists after a journalist yelled a question about Kim Sae Ron asking him, “Kim Soo Hyun, can you tell me when and where you first met Kim Sae Ron? I think that will be okay. Please tell me when and where you first met.”

The clutching of fists by Kim soo Hyun shows that he’s angry, he has always been in control of situations but he’s now helpless, he’s trying to save himself but it has gone way beyond himpic.twitter.com/wmHs22FMA0

— Laughing Legends (@LaughingLegend0) March 31, 2025

Comparisons to Kim Sae Ron’s calm demeanour

Many also compared Kim Soo Hyun’s chaotic press conference to Kim Sae Ron’s composed approach during her 2022 DUI press conference. Despite being cancelled and dropped from several projects, netizens pointed out how Kim Sae Ron had remained calm and apologetic while addressing her controversy. One viral Threads post showed a clip of Kim Sae Ron’s mature response to a reporter questioning her alleged financial difficulties. She simply stated, “I never claimed that I was in a difficult situation… It’s true that I worked part-time, and it’s also true that the penalty fees are very high.” In contrast, Kim Soo Hyun was criticised for delivering a long monologue and avoiding any direct Q&A session.

Queen of Tears’s mention backfires

Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won’s Queen of Tears was one of the biggest K-drama hits of 2024. This was also the first time Kim Sae Ron publicly posted her photo with Kim Soo Hyun, but Gold Medalist instantly refuted all claims of a romantic relationship between the two. The actor, during his press conference, explained that he had delayed addressing the dating allegations to avoid affecting the drama’s success. Netizens accused him of using the drama’s popularity to deflect from serious allegations. Many felt that rather than focusing on his career, he should have taken responsibility and cleared up the accusations more transparently. One angry fan wrote, “Why is he bringing Queen of Tears into this? Does he think his drama success will make us forget the allegations?”

Meanwhile, Disney+ has delayed the release of his upcoming drama, Knock Off, following the controversy. With his reputation at stake, it remains to be seen how Kim Soo Hyun will recover from this career crisis.