On March 31, 2025, during a significant live broadcast on Instagram, Choi Dae-hee, the brother of the late actress Sulli, made a striking claim concerning actor Kim Soo-hyun. He alleged that the actor’s presence at Sulli’s funeral was influenced by external pressures. This revelation followed immediately after Kim Soo-hyun’s press conference, where Choi expressed his concerns about the actor’s autonomy, stating:
“Kim Soo-hyun came to my younger sister’s funeral. But there was an instance where I thought, ‘Is he a person without decision-making authority?’ It felt like he was just doing whatever he was told,”(reported by TV Report).
In detailing the somber backdrop of the funeral, Choi described the event as being held in a basement, which restricted public visibility. With more than 20 bodyguards in attendance and fans barred from entry, he pondered on Kim Soo-hyun’s apparent discomfort amid such stringent security measures.
“My sister’s funeral was in the basement, so not many people were watching. No fans were allowed in, and there were over 20 security guards. But is it uncomfortable to be in such a place?”he added.
During the Instagram stream, viewers expressed curiosity about Sulli’s choice to participate in the contentious film Real, alongside Kim Soo-hyun. Choi admitted he was unaware of her motivations, questioning why no body double was utilized and commenting on the abrupt departure of director Lee Jung-seob from the project. He expressed his ongoing confusion about various aspects related to the film.
“Why did you do ‘Real’? Where did the body double go? Was it true that there was one? Why did director Lee Jung-seob leave? I also don’t know why they didn’t use a body double, so I’m going crazy,”Sulli’s sibling continued.
Coincidentally, on March 28, 2025, Sulli’s family publicly claimed that she was pressured to perform intimate scenes in Real, despite having a body double at their disposal.
Sulli’s Brother Signals Possible Revelations
On April 1, 2025, Choi Dae-hee spoke out again, this time sharing an intriguing post on social media that featured a profile under the name “Jinri’s former manager,” referring to his late sister’s real name, Choi Jinri. Accompanying the image, which appeared to depict someone closely associated with Sulli, was a cryptic message:
“It seems like there’s a lot to sort out.”
Choi also shared his views on Kim Soo-hyun’s demeanor during the press briefing in his live stream. He observed that while the actor often wears black, he was clad entirely in dark attire on that day, suggesting that an individual in a mentally unstable state would not be so concerned about their outfit. Choi criticized Kim Soo-hyun for seeming more focused on maintaining his “star status”rather than addressing the situation genuinely, implying that the actor’s actions were self-serving.
“Psychologically, he still seemed stable, even though he was crying. It could be his style. But I thought he was bold when he spoke while crying, because at the awards ceremony, he said he would be humble and a good actor, but calling him a star just seems like putting himself down,”Choi asserted (quoted by Top Star News).
Choi stressed that the backlash could have been mitigated had Kim Soo-hyun accepted responsibility from the beginning. He argued that a simple apology could have quelled public outrage and emphasized the necessity for the actor to own up to his missteps.
In response to these claims, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, released a statement addressing the controversy surrounding Sulli’s scenes in Real. They affirmed that both the actress and her management were fully aware of the scenes’ nature and extent before signing the contract, asserting that Sulli was not coerced into performing them and that a stand-in was indeed available.
The agency further provided insights from the film’s director and scriptwriter, indicating that Sulli exhibited a positive attitude on set and was well-prepared for her scenes. Gold Medalist also underlined that their casting practices adhered to industry standards.
Moreover, Gold Medalist emphasized that Kim Soo-hyun did not play a role in the decision-making process for these matters. They urged critics to refrain from spreading unfounded rumors and questioned why the issues were resurfacing after a six-year period.