Is Kim Soo-hyun returning to screen?

The YouTuber who alleged actor Kim Soo-hyun had dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was underage has been arrested, shifting industry attention to whether the actor will return through the Disney+ series Knockoff.

The Seoul Central District Court on May 26 issued an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, head of HoverLab, which operates the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, on charges of defamation and manipulating evidence using artificial intelligence.

The arrest has many questioning whether Kim Soo-hyun will be returning to the screen; the release of Disney+ original series Knockoff was postponed amid the controversy surrounding the allegations.

Kim Soo-hyun (left) in the series 'Knockoff' which was shelved from Disney+ lineup. Photo: Handout

Kim was set to play the male lead in the series before he became mired in the scandal over a year ago. Although he finished shooting the first season of the drama, the streaming service decided to postpone airing the show and filming the second season "indefinitely."

In March, Kim’s lawyer hinted that Disney+ may be considering adding it to the lineup in the first half of this year.

The streaming service reportedly spent 60 billion won (US$39.9mil/RM158.2mil) on Knockoff, a black comedy set during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Kim plays an average office worker who becomes a big shot in counterfeit luxury goods.

Kim's agency, Gold Medalist, said May 27 that the ruling showed the allegations and evidence presented against Kim were false. But the company told the media that “there have been no updates” regarding the premiere of the series. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network