Kim Soo-hyun’s Emotional Return: A Video Greeting to Fans

Kim Soo-hyun says ‘I missed you’ in first greeting since police decision

Kim Soo-hyun has delivered his first official video greeting in approximately 16 months, taking another carefully measured step toward resuming his entertainment career after a controversy brought most of his public activities to a halt.

Philippine lifestyle and fashion brand BENCH released a video featuring the actor through its official social media channels on August 2, welcoming back what it described as its “well-loved Global BENCHSetter.”

Wearing a relaxed smile and waving directly at the camera, Kim introduced himself as a BENCH model before addressing fans for the first time in months.

“Hello, I’m Kim Soo-hyun, a model for BENCH. I really missed you all,” he said. “I’m happy to greet you again after such a long time. Please look forward to what is coming. Thank you.”

Although the short video follows the familiar format of a celebrity advertisement, its timing gives it greater significance. It is the first official greeting released since South Korean police decided not to refer Kim to prosecutors over allegations connected to the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

It also suggests that Kim’s return is beginning outside South Korea, with an established Southeast Asian brand and an international fan base providing the first platform for his reappearance.

An overseas campaign becomes the first stage of his return

BENCH first revealed signs of Kim’s return in July, when company founder Ben Chan shared photographs from a new campaign shoot in the Philippines and welcomed the actor back to the “BENCH family.” The shoot was widely described as Kim’s first official work engagement since March 2025.

The relationship is not new. Kim has worked with the Philippine brand since 2024, when his global popularity was rising again following the success of tvN’s romantic drama “Queen of Tears.” His continued partnership with BENCH therefore carries a different meaning from signing with an entirely new advertiser after the controversy.

Rather than introducing Kim to an unfamiliar audience, the campaign reconnects him with a market where he had already built considerable recognition through dramas including “My Love from the Star,” “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” and “Queen of Tears.”

The commercial response also indicates that a substantial part of that international fan base remains active. Several items promoted through the latest campaign were listed as sold out on BENCH’s official online store, including a denim jacket marketed with Kim’s name. Other pieces from the collection also became unavailable in multiple sizes.

Celebrity products selling out do not necessarily predict how the wider Korean public will respond to a full comeback. However, the sales offer BENCH something more concrete than social media expressions of support. They show that Kim can still convert international attention into consumer activity after more than a year away from advertising.

Police closed the case without referring it to prosecutors

Kim suspended his public activities in March 2025 after claims emerged that he had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor. Kim acknowledged that the two had previously been in a relationship but maintained that it began only after she had reached adulthood.

The controversy quickly spread beyond the actors’ private lives. Brands ended or suspended advertising arrangements with Kim, while the release of his completed Disney+ series “Knock-Off” was placed on hold.

On July 29, Seoul’s Seongdong Police Station decided not to forward cases involving alleged violations of the Child Welfare Act and false accusation charges to prosecutors, citing insufficient evidence. According to Korean media reports, investigators concluded that the available material did not provide adequate objective evidence to establish the allegations.

Kim’s legal representatives welcomed the decision and said the investigation had formally addressed what they regarded as the most damaging allegation made against the actor.

The police decision is an important development, but it should not be confused with a court verdict following a criminal trial. A non-referral decision means police determined that there was not sufficient evidence to send the case to prosecutors.

A commercial return does not settle every question

The BENCH campaign shows that Kim has begun working again, but his return to the Korean entertainment industry is still far from complete.

Several disputes involving former advertisers remain unresolved. Companies that ended their relationships with Kim after the controversy have pursued damages reportedly totaling more than 10 billion won, leaving the actor involved in civil proceedings even after the police investigation concluded.

There is also no confirmed release date for “Knock-Off,” the Disney+ series in which Kim stars opposite Jo Bo-ah. The drama had already completed substantial production before Disney+ postponed its release, making its future one of the most closely watched questions surrounding Kim’s career.

Disney+ denied reports in March that the series had been placed on its 2026 release schedule. More recent attention surrounding Kim’s return has again prompted speculation about the production, but no new release plan has been officially announced.

That distinction makes the BENCH campaign particularly revealing. An overseas fashion advertisement allows Kim to reconnect with supporters without immediately committing to a large Korean television project or making an extended public appearance. The warm reception from international fans and the reported product sellouts provide an early measure of his remaining commercial influence, but they do not automatically resolve the lawsuits, public debate or uncertainty surrounding “Knock-Off.”

For now, Kim’s message was brief and carefully worded. Still, after 16 months of silence, the line “I really missed you all” appears designed to mark more than the launch of another fashion collection. It is the clearest indication yet that the actor is ready to begin rebuilding his public career, one controlled appearance at a time.