Actor Kim Soo-Hyun is facing an increasing crisis. What began as accusations of a relationship with the minor actress Kim Sae-Sore has made snowballs in a series of revelations, leading to the cessation of advertising agreements, projects postponed and enormous financial repercussions.
In the meantime, the businessman and the television personality Baek Jong-Won, CEO of Nata Korea, has shown a clear contrast in the management of crises. Faced with the accusations of eating origins labeled, he immediately issued public excuses and outlined specific corrective measures. The mature and seasoned approach of Baek Jong-Won to the management of crises offers a precious lesson for Kim Soo-Hyun, who is now in a serious descending spiral.
Recently, Baek Jong-Won has faced multiple disputes, including food origins labeled and violation of agricultural land rules. However, his response was quick and transparent. At the first annual meeting of Korea’s shareholders of 28, Baek Jong-Won bowed his head and admitted, “As a corporate leader, I’m deeply sorry for not having managed things in a more in -depth way.” Not only did he recognize his mistakes, but he also proposed plans for concrete improvement.
The management of the Baek Jong-Won crises went beyond words. On the same day, he personally visited an area affected by fires in the province of Andong, in the north of Gyeongsang and provided free meals to the victims, demonstrating social responsibility through action. His desire to help in times of crisis resoned with consumers and shareholders, strengthening his sincerity.
On the contrary, Kim Soo-Hyun has maintained silence on the accusations of his juvenile relationship with the deceased Kim Sae-S, insisting only on the fact that “they came out after he became an adult”. However, the evidence issued by the Kim Sae-Se-Sex family contradict his statements, including text messages, letters and videos. Despite the growing test, Kim Soo-Hyun has not issued a direct explanation or an excuse, opting instead for silence.
The situation worsened further when the family of the deceased actress of the singer Sulli moved forward with further statements, dragging Kim Soo-Hyun more deeply into disputes. The consequences are already serious: Disney+ has indefinitely postponed the release of “Knock-off”, MBC’s “Good Day” removed his video, his fans’ meeting in Taiwan has been canceled and several commercial contracts have been canceled. The experts in the sector estimate that the potential financial loss could reach up to ₩ 2 trillions of years, including ₩ 200 billion advertising sanctions and ₩ 1.8 trillion of a compensation related to production.
At this point, Kim Soo-Hyun would do well to learn from the response strategy to Baek Jong-Won’s crises.
First of all, it is crucial to recognize the problem and the issue of a rapid excuse. When Baek Jong-Won faced the recourse, he immediately bowed his head and took responsibility. While the origins of the food labeled are a serious crime, his will to admit the fault and take corrective actions has shown responsibility: something Kim Soo-Hyun should take note. Initially denying the accusations, Kim Soo-Hyun fueled only more suspicions and distrust.
In addition, Baek Jong-Won performed the backup of his words with action, showing genuine remorse through his charity efforts on the fire site. The actions speak more than the words, and for Kim Soo-Hyun, who offers hearing excuses and taking responsibility in a tangible way could be the first step towards redemption.
Crisis can affect anyone in the eyes of the public. What defines a person is how they respond. The current situation of Kim Soo-Hyun illustrates the devastating impact of the poor management of crises and prolonged silence.
Public sentiment reflects this dichotomy. Comments on Baek Jong-Won include:
“The way he admits his mistakes is admirable and he strives to do better.”
“Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is a sincere reflection.”
In the meantime, the reactions to Kim Soo-Hyun are much harder:
“If only he recognized soon and took a step back, things would not have been spiral.”
“His career in entertainment is over.”
If Kim Soo-Hyun hopes to recover, he must come forward, recognize the truth, emit sincere apologies and take concrete actions. Furthermore, it remains silent, the slim more the possibilities of redemption become.
