Actor Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, have issued a formal rebuttal to accusations raised by the brother of late actress Choi Jin-ri, professionally known as Sulli, regarding her participation in the 2017 film Real. The agency defended the integrity of the filming process and firmly denied any production misconduct or involvement by Kim Soo Hyun in decisions related to Sulli's controversial nude scene.
In a statement released April 2, Gold Medalist asserted, "The role of Song Yoo Hwa, the female lead portrayed by the late Choi Jin-ri, included a bed scene from when the script was first being written. Therefore, when we were casting for the role, we clearly stated that a requirement was being open to performing scenes involving nudity." The agency emphasized that both Sulli and her then-management agency were fully briefed on the content and agreed to it in advance.
Sulli's older brother had earlier taken to social media, alleging that the script was incomplete, a body double was present but not used, and that the scene was filmed under questionable circumstances. "So why was the scene shot the way it was? We still don't have an answer," he said.
Gold Medalist responded directly to these claims. "There was no acting body double. Rather, a stand-in actor was used during preparation stages to help with camera positioning and blocking, not to perform the acting." The agency also provided written statements from assistant director Kim Jung-ok and script supervisor Lee Joon-hyun, who confirmed Sulli was informed and voluntarily participated.
The statement sought to dissociate Kim Soo Hyun from any production decisions, saying, "Kim Soo Hyun, who appeared in the film, was not involved in the scenario, storyboard, or filming decisions, which fall entirely under the production team's domain."
The agency also addressed accusations that it contacted Sulli's mother to pressure her brother into silence. "We have never contacted the late actress's mother and do not have her contact information," the statement read. "Bringing up an event from over six years ago now, and posting things on social media as if they were personal experiences when they are not factual, is difficult for us to accept."
Directed by Lee Ro Be, Kim Soo Hyun's cousin and co-founder of Gold Medalist, Real was widely panned upon release but has remained a point of contention in light of renewed scrutiny following Sulli's death and recent controversies involving Kim Soo Hyun.
The actress's brother has alleged the bed scene was not part of the finalized script, and that the stand-in was present on set despite claims of illness. Gold Medalist dismissed these assertions as untrue. "As confirmed by key staff members of the production, both the late actress and her agency had full knowledge of the role's requirements," the agency said.
