“This is getting out of hand” — Fans outraged over audience chanting Queen of Tears’ co-star Kim Ji-won’s name at Kim Soo-hyun’s fan meeting

On September 7, 2024, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun held his fan meeting event, EYES ON YOU, at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC) in Jakarta, Indonesia. By the end of the event, the attendees first started chanting his name which was followed by fans shouting Kim Ji-won's name.

Kim Ji-won is a popular South Korean actress, who starred opposite Kim Soo-hyun, in the latest Netflix K-drama, Queen of Tears. The hit series showcased the leading actors as a married couple. Since its release, fans have shipped the lead pair and encouraged them to date in real life. However, both actors are known to be good friends and colleagues.

Due to their on-screen chemistry and outstanding storyline, the show gained the highest nationwide viewership rating of 28.3%, breaking records. Hence, fans started playfully teasing Kim Soo-hyun by shouting Kim Ji-won's name at the Jakarta fan meeting event.

In response, Kim Soo-hyun took his earpiece and laughed after hearing Kim Ji-won's name and hilariously asked his fans:

"No, no. Call my name."

However, several fans speculated that the actor was displeased with fans' behavior and was uncomfortable. One such netizen wrote on X:

"Fans sometimes should be little considerate with him. I'm a fan of #SooWon but I think this is getting out of hand"

Many netizens pointed out that taking another actor's name during Kim Soo-hyun's personal fan meeting event was crossing a line.

"After he mentioned his co-star's name he said : "No please call me by my name again." He might be laughing because he doesn't want to be rude at his own fanmeeting..When he put on the earphones he is not even smiling," one fan wrote.

"Yes! I'm in front row and withness this all. He's uncomfortable and has no choice but smile. As his long time fan, this is really bitter atmosphere for him," another fan wrote.

"He said: No, please say my name. His refusal made it clear that he was unhappy," one other fan pointed out.

Others came to pacify the angry fans and explained that the fan meeting conversation and topics revolved around his latest hit K-drama, Queen of Tears, and its cast. They clarified that Kim Soo-hyun didn't seem uncomfortable and even played along with the crowd's chanting by jokingly mentioning Kim Ji-won himself.

"She's Special to him, the Hints are given by the Man Himself & this is just a tiny amount of Hints I've posted. He's been in the industry for so long & this is the first time he's doing it & he knows what he's doing so stop talking on his behalf," one fan wrote.

"He 1st Posted Her Name calling on his IG n now himself telling her Name Kim Jiwon. He clearly loves it. Coming to non shipper pov his FM is centered about QOT taking his co star name with whom he has worked for more than a year is not weird," another fan clarified.

"Now he is yelling her name on the stage in his own FM. Not even acting dumb or annoyed or anything. Smiling brightly & blushing away. He could have pretended not to hear & said something else to divert the attention of the crowd. How do we even defend him anymore? My Soowon," another fan commented.

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More about the success of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won's 2024 Netflix K-drama, Queen of Tears

Queen of Tears follows the story of the icy chaebol heiress of Queens Group, Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won), whose married life with her husband, Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun), hits a dead end.

Baek Hyun-woo is the director of the legal team at Queens Group. He wants to divorce Hae-in due to her family constantly berating and humiliating him for years. However, once Hae-in discloses that she has a brain tumor and has three months to live, the couple begins to rekindle their lost love for each other.

The show ran from March 9 to April 28, 2024, on tvN and Netflix, every Saturday and Sunday, and aired a total of 16 episodes. After topping Crash Landing on You, starring Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin, Queen of Tears became the highest-rated tvN series with a final episode rating of 28.3%.

The show earned 1 billion views in the entire history of tvN dramas. It also rose to second place in terms of viewership and the third-highest viewing rating in the history of Korean cable television.

After its success, Kim Soo-hyun announced his first Asia fan meet tour, EYES ON YOU, which started in Bangkok on June 15, 2024. Before him, Kim Ji-won announced her first Asia fan meeting tour, BE MY ONE, which kicked off in Seoul on June 22.

During Kim Soo-hyun's fan meeting in Jakarta on September 7, the host mentioned how BTS' Kim Seok-jin had named Queen of Tears as one of his favorite K-dramas. The actor was stunned to know that and confessed that it was the first time he heard of it. He expressed his gratitude towards the BTS idol.

For the unversed, BTS' Kim Seok-jin had mentioned enjoying watching Queen of Tears during his July 2024 interview with W KOREA titled "Ask Jin Anything! Q&A Time with BTS Jin, presented by W Korea."

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Queen of Tears is available on Netflix for global streaming.