In the first half of 2025, 4 famous stars including: Kim Soo Hyun, Baek Jong Won, NewJeans and Son Heung Min - became the focus of controversy, according to Korean netizens. This has seriously damaged their image.
The stars are all involved in scandals that caused a stir, dominating online discussions: from Kim Soo Hyun's rumored past relationship with actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a teenager, to Baek Jong Won's growing criticism of his company The Born Korea; or the ongoing legal dispute between NewJeans and ADOR, and most recently the blackmail case involving Son Heung Min's ex-girlfriend.
Some netizens have discussed the incidents and noted that all four were former top Korean stars.
The audience commented: "I think it is not to say who is worthy or not worthy of being on this list. It's surprising because these are all top stars before...".
Other netizens who participate in online discussions on social media forums also agreed that the above Korean stars were all involved in various scandals in the first half of 2025. However, some opinions say that NewJeans did not commit any crime and that if they were paired with the above stars, it would easily cause misunderstanding. If we only consider reputation, most audiences think that their image has been greatly affected after a series of scandals with management companies.
