Even under the heavy shadow of controversy, some stars are still drawing fervent support — notably, they are male stars.
Actor Kim Seon-ho recently became the center of controversy after it was revealed he had received settlement payments through a family corporation. Because this corporation was set up while he was with his former agency, questions have been raised about possible tax avoidance and violations of the law. In response, brands that featured Kim as a model have begun pulling back — switching previously uploaded ads to private and signaling an ad industry "cut ties" move.
This mirrors the recent case of singer-actor Cha Eun-woo, who faced intense domestic backlash amid allegations of multi-billion-won tax evasion.
Earlier reports claimed, "For alleged tax evasion, including income tax, the National Tax Service notified him to pay more than 20 billion KRW in back taxes." The sum would be one of the largest additional assessments ever imposed on an entertainer, fueling the uproar. While his agency Fantagio said it "plans to actively clarify the issues related to legal interpretation and application through proper procedures," advertisers — and even the Ministry of National Defense — moved to scrub traces of Cha, a trend dubbed "erasing Cha Eun-woo."
Despite the dark clouds over Kim Seon-ho and Cha Eun-woo, overseas fans are still loudly voicing support. On social media and online communities, messages like "We all make mistakes" and "We believe in you" are spreading. Some are posting by name, writing "I support Kim Seon-ho" and "I trust Cha Eun-woo."
A similar split — domestic distance versus overseas support — was also seen during the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo-hyun.
The late Kim Sae-ron's family claimed via YouTube channel HoverLab Inc. that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had dated for six years, from age 15 to 21. In the early days of the controversy, Kim Soo-hyun flatly denied they dated at all, but later admitted at a press conference: "We dated after 2019, when Kim Sae-ron became an adult," denying any underage relationship. He even teared up, saying, "I can't say I did something I didn't do."
While many still criticize and doubt him, some domestic fans — and many global fans — are sending support rather than suspicion. They are showing it through action, too. To celebrate Kim Soo-hyun's birthday on the 16th, his Korea and global fan union will stage large-scale events across key areas of Seoul, including giant billboards and newspaper ads. From the 14th to the 16th, an LED truck will run around Seoul for three days, and on the same dates, a birthday video will air twice an hour on a specific street screen in Shibuya, Tokyo.
At this point, the loudest unconditional support seems to be coming from global fans rather than Korean fans — and notably, the stars at the center are male actors. This has sparked reactions like, "Is it just me, or are people a lot more forgiving toward men?"