Controversial actor Kim Ji-soo signs with Filipino agency, netizens express distaste: 'Why are we picking up their trash?'

He's marking a new milestone but not everyone is happy about it.

On Aug 28, South Korean actor Kim Ji-soo, who has been inactive from the K-drama industry since his bullying controversy, was announced as a talent under the Filipino entertainment agency Sparkle, owned by broadcaster GMA Network.

In the video uploaded on their social media accounts, Ji-soo, 31, said he's "deeply honoured" to share this "new milestone in his acting career".

However, the reactions from netizens on X have been anything but positive, with the majority bashing the agency.

"He was cancelled in Korea, so why are we picking up their trash? I used to like him, but the allegations made against him are horrible," said one netizen in response to Sparkle's announcement post.

"There are so many Filipino actors here and yet you hire a foreigner. Even worse, the one with bullying and assault allegations," remarked another.

Another questioned: "Why are you giving a platform to these kinds of men?"

His bullying controversy

In March 2021, Ji-soo was accused of being a perpetrator of school violence in an online forum.

Netizens reportedly claimed to have attended the same school as him and said they were a victim of his actions.

"The word 'bullying' is not enough to describe everything. I was a victim of all kinds of school violence, like being made an outcast, violence, blackmailing, insults, and abusive language," they wrote, adding that Ji-soo and his friends forced their classmates to buy them cigarettes and even threw food at other students.

Some also claimed he committed sexual assault. "He even forced male students to do him a 'favour', ejaculating on the victim's face. I have a recorded conversation with the victim about the incident as proof."

Ji-soo wrote a vague handwritten apology soon after and was dropped from his then-ongoing drama River Where The Moon Rises. "I sincerely apologise to the people who suffered because of me. There is no excuse for my past misconduct. They were things that cannot be forgiven."

He left KeyEast, his agency at the time, and carried out his mandatory enlistment.

Taking legal action against 'false facts'

That same year, he pursued legal action against the sexual assault allegations.

A report by Hankyung.com in May 2021 quoted Ji-soo saying the posts on anonymous community sites contained numerous exaggerated and distorted stories and "false facts".

"However, in order to not cause damage to those who were hurt because of me and the work I was appearing in, I quickly posted an apology without any excuses, and I sincerely apologised to those I could contact and received forgiveness," he added.

On belatedly suing the writers of the sexual assault allegations, Ji-soo said he thought "the truth would come out someday", but when the information were accepted as if it were true, he decided to take legal action.

His legal representative Shin & Kim said Ji-soo later dropped his case against two of the accusers, as they had apologised to him for making false claims.

According to Shin & Kim, the posts alleging that he was a school bully were also "mostly untrue" and Ji-soo had sued the writers.

In 2023, it was revealed that his charges were dismissed after an investigation. He appealed and the case was transferred to the prosecutor's office, and despite the results being the same, he reportedly requested a retrial.

In an exclusive interview with South Korean media Sports Chosun published in October 2023 after he completed his military service, Ji-soo admitted that he felt "wronged".

He also said he met up with the first alleged victim and they "cleared up misunderstandings". Ji-soo claimed that he was close friends with a bully who had terrorised the alleged victim but he did not bully or assault anyone.

"At the time, when [River Where the Moon Rises] was airing, I had to apologise quickly and drop out of the show. My military enlistment notice was already sent, so I could not explain myself properly and I just joined the military," he said.

What he's been up to

Since then, Ji-soo has remained inactive in South Korean showbiz but recently appeared in the Filipino dramas Black Rider and Abot-Kamay Na Pangarap under GMA Network.

Last month, he appeared at the GMA Gala and won the Red Carpet Scene Stealer Award.

He officially signed a contract with Sparkle on Aug 28.

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syarifahsn@asiaone.com