Production Company Behind River Where the Moon Rises Sues Ji Soo’s Agency KeyEast for $2.7M of Additional Costs to Re-film Drama With New Male Lead

In the annals of least surprising developments in K-ent, the lawsuit that was bound to happen is here. The production company behind River Where the Moon Rises has sued former male lead Ji Soo‘s agency KeyEast Entertainment. It’s a straight forward claim for damages, costs, expenses due to Ji Soo‘s bullying scandal which led to the production company needing to re-cast and re-film 90% of the drama. The drama aired up to episode 6 and filming was completed up to episode 18 when the Ji Soo scandal broke and replacement male lead Na In Woo stepped in immediately to re-film both not yet aired episodes as well as the first six episodes so this drama could be sold for online streaming after completion. KeyEast responded to the lawsuit claiming it had been in talks with the production company on a financial settlement and talks were still continuing so it doesn’t know why the lawsuit was suddenly filed. Prolly cuz KeyEast was just dawdling and playing some hardball, what else. The lawsuit is demanding financial damages of nearly $2.7M USD so yup with how much needed to be re-filmed and the high production cost of a large scale sageuk.


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Production Company Behind River Where the Moon Rises Sues Ji Soo’s Agency KeyEast for $2.7M of Additional Costs to Re-film Drama With New Male Lead — 37 Comments

  1. Pingback: Production Company Behind River Where the Moon Rises Sues Ji Soo’s Agency KeyEast for $2.7M of Additional Costs to Re-film Drama With New Male Lead - Kpopnchill - All About K-pop News

  2. I hope they break every single one of Jisoo piggy banks they find in his room to help pay for all the damages haha The studio is so nice, only 2.7m when the budget is much, much higher.

  3. The Jisoo apologists on Soompi still blaming the production house for being greedy and punishing oppa for something ‘he did in the past when he was an immature minor’. I can’t with their logic.

    • I’m not his fan and have never thought his acting is good by any standard, and compensation is both legal and ethical issue so I won’t comment on that too, but I do wonder till how long, and to what extent Ji Soo and any other person who did wrong in the past is expected to ‘pay for what they did’. IF he has turned over new leaf now, sincerely apologetic toward his past victim, and acting-career wise he got to where he is by honest mean then why should his career be over? Will he even be allowed to be successful at anything? Do people deserve no second chance? Or being ‘sincerely apologetic’ means he has to live the rest of his life with head hanging down?

      • @Veea Agree with you. I’m not siding with Jisoo of course but I hope the adults around them during the time of his bullying should also be held accountable. Plus, the other kids with Jisoo which is also part of that bully group.
        I know that the victims suffered a lot during those time they get bullied.
        And they deserve to have a beautiful life after all the hardships.
        But I’m also wondering what kind of justice will they get after exposing Jisoo. Yeah, maybe they will get the closure they needed and they can make Jisoo’s career really over.
        But at the end of the day, I hope they realize as well, that they dragged a lot of innocent people with their anger with Jisoo. A lot of production staff, other actors, broadcasting station, etc. got affected with it.

        “The best Revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury”

      • I agree with you. I’m not in any way a fan of this actor but the supporters of cancel culture have become the new Puritans. I get why it would be distasteful to have a career facing the public as an actor but is this guy even going to be able to have any sort of livelihood in Korea? It seems to me like Knetz attached some broader symbolism to his comeuppance as if they were getting revenge on their own bullies too and it’s just unfair to make one person the focus of a much broader social trauma IMO.

      • Personally i think, its Until the victims are satisfied.

        I’ve personally liked jisoo at the beginning of his career and i also liked watching him in last finished drama.though i have felt him lacking in dramas in between.

        But irregardless if he is a good actor or not, and whether he gets cancelled or not. Or whether his apology is sincere or not. Or how much a good person he is now, as compared to before…

        Isnt the most important part, how the victims feel? Are they willing to forgive and forget, and let go? Do the victims feel his sincerity? and can their pain and suffering be satisfied?
        Unless the victims who were deliberately hurt by them (him, his cohorts, the adults around) say so… who and how can there be a start of a proper resolution…?

      • It’s a debt due to be repayed. The problem with JiSoo is that he never held accountable, even when he had become adult himself.

        It just shows that he does not learn. There are problem with the adults at that time and that didn’t get resolved. What people held accountable is the adult JiSoo that didn’t even ask for forgiveness which implies that up until now, even when he personally in a drama about bullying (angry mom) and know what is called bullying did not come clean to the victim.

        People that already paid their action is getting a 2nd chance. JiSoo hadn’t and this is how he gets his due payment.

      • @Emilie did you read the first victim’s statement tho? He literally said he wasn’t asking for an apology because it would be meaningless, he didn’t ask for monetary compensation either, all he wanted was that Ji Soo’s past as a school bully should he known.

        Ji Soo’s own statement seems quite clear that he knew this part of his past was problematic, but by the look of it he started his acting career on the stage in 2009 while he was in high school….ie while he was still bullying people! That’s not exactly a clean or honest start to his acting career. Like it or not, in Korean entertainment, real life image matters sometimes more than actual talent and school bullies or bullies in general are (not without reason) considered to be bad people. That said, it’s funny to me how idols can bully staff at the workplace (one got exposed right before this) and it’s all ok after an apology to the victim even if netizens remember the incident for a long time, but school bullies have no avenue for redemption.

      • To Veaa Agreed with you… He got everything what he deserved. His career is done and people knew he is this kind of person already but there is always a chance for everyone. I just hope everyone will learn about this.

      • 1. You are not his victims so stfu. The one who decided to forgive and give him a chance are those victims.

        2. He admitted and apologize only when he got caught.

        3. Stop victim blaming.

        4. Key East still not decided to terminate their contract with Ji Soo. Wiping his mess. His other labelmates and dramas produced by Key East will probably be affected.

        4. The cycle of entertainment world. When an idol face a scandal they will go to military. Later on after 2 years have a come back to industry like nothing happened.

        Funny how these holy talks. What a sacred people spouting the kindest hypocrisy. You’re not his fan lol. I just wondered why your overly concerned on his well being and suddenly become the spokesperson for all the people who did wrong in the past. Your asking what will victims going to get after exposing him? Aww I can’t help but to get touched with your unnecessary concern. You’ve got that energy rather than to sympathize with the people who got caught on his mess. Don’t give me that “He was still a child back then and Past is past bla bla bla” card. It will just add to your effing crab mentality.

      • @Czak yes that sounds like the most reasonable take, but also difficult in practice, like how do you forgive and forget and heal from something like this in the first place, to the point you don’t mind seeing the other person who’ve hurt you be happy/satisfy with their life? It needs mental strength to do that, which I hope the victims have. How is nurturing scar for the rest of your life is a good thing in any way.

        Good that this case make it as big as it is though, so that kids who are still in schools right now can mind their attitude, seeing how it can come back to socially murder them in the future.

  4. VC are being nice, because 2.7 is too small for a Sageuk considering the actors/ crews: props/ location fee etc… KeyEast should let him pay, bec it’s him who caused this damage.

    • Is it possible that KeyEast is playing hardball coz they will not be unable to recoup the cancellation fee with Jisoo? This is considering that Jisoo has only sign with them recently and not sure about their contract details.

  5. All I can say is that people who seek revenge on him for the damages he did to them in the past has also in turn destroyed other people’s rice bowl and life in the process and lots of damages to production crew. Are they any better than him? No. They are even a bigger bully than him.

    I’m not siding him nor say what he did in the past is right. He did wrong to them – yes. By denouncing him right in the middle of a drama airing and causing lots of damages and loss of $$$ and making the crew working even harder and longer hours, they are a bigger bully. They drag other people into this mess too. I guess they wouldn’t want to wait till the drama ended airing before exposing him as the impact would be this big. No sympathy for them as they also have hurt lots of innocent people in this too. To seek justice/revenge for own personal agenda is your own but hurting others big time in the process of your own agenda brings you down to the same level as him.

    Why waited until he became a big hit in this drama to spill the beans on him? If they really want to seek justice for what he did in the past, they should have done it long time ago. It’s not the first time he is on TV. He has been working in this industry for many years.

      • He got his career AFTER the bullying, so no, he didn’t destroy it himself unless he continued the bullying. I most certainly think it is revenge, but I don’t blame them for it. I’d do it in heartbeat too. It would make me sick seeing my bully be some big celebrity who pretends to be nice. I’m actually surprised how there are so many bullying scandals surfacing now. Why would you become a celebrity if you had such a past? At this day and age you should know it will come to haunt you.

      • @Bfko go look at his wiki, you will find he started acting in theatre in 2009 ie when he was in high school….ie DURING his time as a bully and school violence perpetrator.

        The victims are not to blame and have no obligation to keep their mouths shut and continue to compromise their mental health by staying silent.. for the sake of a freaking drama. He did it, not them.

    • They didn’t wait till he’s a big star. Reason for them bringing his bullying in the past is because there is a metoo movement in korea right now and victims GOT COURAGE to talk about their past experience being bullied.

    • @Missy You really make a lot of sense.
      I know that the victims of bullying suffered a lot emotionally and physically. And maybe yes, they really got a lot of courage to speak up because of the MeToo movement or telling your past about getting bullied. But yeah, I also agree with a comment from above @Emillie that “The Best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”
      I read @Emillie’s whole comment and I super duper agree that the adults during that time,and the other kids should also be held accountable. Not just Jisoo who is now a public figure.
      It really looks like revenge to me as well. I remember a saying that says: “Forgive them even if they are not sorry, holding on to anger only hurts you, not them.”
      And I am not in any way, siding with Jisoo.
      Jisoo is a bully, and if I were the victim, I will not stoop down to his level. And I will never be like him.
      I hope they are satisfied now with their revenge on him.

    • This is JiSoo 1st time big lead in public show, ofc people just talk now. Netflix and special drama doesn’t count.

      He wasn’t famous in the media before. Just another 2nd lead. How do you think people realise it’s him. Perhaps the victim can’t avoid him anymore because now he gets the 1st lead. If JiSoo had get 1st lead sooner, he’ll be getting accusations sooner.
      By this logic, that you also use,
      It’s jisoo fault to become the 1st lead, should just be 2nd lead forever so no one or the victim recognise him enough to make the truth come out.

  6. The Cross. Jesus Christ died in the Croos because of our Sins/to All his people Who are We that can not Forgive?…❤❤❤

  7. Personally I get why Victory Contents will sue KeyEast for damages caused by refilming episodes 7-20, but I think the production company was a bit too ambitious to refilm the first 6 episodes if they’re already dealing with a lot of losses.

    • But refilming the first 6 eps is the only way for them to continue selling the show after broadcast. Who’s gonna buy a show that changes the male lead midway? Yes it costs money but it’s also a way for them to hopefully recoup some back in the long run.

    • The production company’s decision to refilm episodes 1-6 just makes sense for them to be able to sell the drama internationally. No, they’re not ambitious if their goal is to recoup their production losses.

  8. I think the victim just want revenge i know he had bad experience bullying in his middle school but ruining entire career is just pure revenge to me just imagine the psychological damage jisoo experiencing well we can say he deserve because his action but i can imagine how everyone jisoo met point finger and brand you as bully the victim got his justice

  9. People in this comment section blaming the victims for wanting revenge and “being a bigger bully than Jisoo” makes me sick. You all have no morals.

    • They must have never been bullied before if they think that way. They will never know the pain of being a victim and as much as I feel sorry for the victims themselves, I feel more sorry for the people with this mindset. Sickening really ?

    • You are right. They are too desperate to save their Oppa’s butt. Even to the point of victim blaming. Bringing the topic of Cancel Culture to justify their idea.

    • Actually, yeah they make me sick, especially when they keep preaching that they’re not fans of Jisoo as if that gives their bigoted point of view more weight.

      Forgiveness? That’s only given when it is seeked or asked sincerely, and Jisoo never did that until his victims stood up and spoke about their ill treatment, so why are you demanding that they forgive when he had never asked for it? He acted like he did nothing wrong to them even when he clearly remembers with how fast his “apology” came when they spoke up. So what forgiveness when he never even tried to soothe the pain he inflicted himself?

      You’re saying that if you were the victim you would so that you wouldn’t stoop to Jisoo’s level? Be quiet, you weren’t bullied by Jisoo, you don’t know how bad it was and you don’t get to belittle and downplay the victim’s feelings and opinions. The only ones who have any right to decide about forgiving him are his victims themselves and they’ve decided that he hasn’t done enough penance for the pain he inflicted on their formative years.

      They’re bullying him? All they shared was what he did and how they felt about it and other people decided they don’t want to support him anymore. That’s called consequences. Bullying is when you’re ill treated for no reason or a reason that’s completely out of your hands. Go get a dictionary and some life experience.

      And you’re asking why wait all these time to speak up? Well, why did Jisoo wait all these time to apologise and settle the issue? The victims came clean in the middle of his drama shoot affecting other innocent people, but hey, if he didn’t bully at all or at least seeked for forgiveness and addressed the matter WHILE HE WAS ON BREAK before the drama, they wouldn’t be speaking out in the middle of his shoot cos they’d have nothing to speak about. Why are they blamed for timing when he had just as much an opportunity to rectify his case and save his career. He was young, he was immature, he didn’t know what he was doing, so why would the now-adult victims still hold it against him? Is Jisoo still a child now? Did he not grow up and mature too just like them? And just because he “didn’t know what he was doing”, does that mean they don’t feel the pain from his actions? Life doesn’t work that way.

      Lastly, cancel culture. LMAO. Just a bunch of people decided they don’t want to see a bully on their screen anymore and that they can’t watch someone who inflicted pain on others act innocent on the TV in their own living room, in their own homes, and they’re the ones at fault now? Nah. It’s not cancel culture, it’s just people’s freedom of choice at work. Jisoo is free to work in another industry.

      Don’t you dare say that the people and his victims are bullying him. They’re just making him see the consequences of his actions. Consequences that he’s never faced in almost a decade.

  10. The commenters never sided with Jisoo.
    And never did they victim blame.
    Like me, many just see it as purely revenge. And that’s ok. I will never personally blame the victims for taking revenge. If that’s what they want, go ahead. It’s a nice revenge for the one who bullied you. His career is over.
    I just don’t get it why they’re saying that the people commenting are fans of Jisoo, it’s their oppa, and whatsoever.
    In my case, I just wanted to give my comments in a certain issue like this.
    I do not need to be a fan of someone just to say my opinion on something.
    I hate Jisoo for what he did.
    And I pity the victims for not standing up for their self because of fear.
    Now, everyone has their different comments and many has their different points. No need to call out people if their opinions is different from you.
    We all have different opinions, the problem starts when we feel our opinion is worth more than what anyone else can say.

  11. Happy Easter Everyone!!! FORGIVENESS/LOVE Please Extend to All Human beings even more severe deeds. Thank you.❤❤❤

  12. Objectively speaking, the production company is messed up. Keyeast and Ji Soo can counter sue Victory Content later on and win the case. Maybe not now as a respect for the other cast and crew.

    Seriously how anyone could humiliate and destroy someone’s life because he was bad in the past much less as a kid? The Law of advance society even have hearts and compassion by setting up statute of limitation. How could anyone have so much vengeful feelings in their hearts.

    Yes bullying is bad and Ji Soo had done something bad, but what being done to him right now is just so wrong, morally wrong in many levels.

    The world has become so cruel and controlled by greed and vengeance. People should go back to their faith and pray to God. Whatever religion you were in, just go back to your faith. That’s the only way people can have discernment and able to see from right and wrong.

    So sad to see, internet has destroyed humanity.

  13. People who are full of hate are more sickening. A life that aim to destroy someone… intentionally take revenge and destroy someone is more sickening.

    While Ji Soo made a mistake when he was a teen, an age barely knows what’s wrong and what’s right. Puberty is hard especially with no guidance. It was wrong of him to bully but probably at that age he didn’t know that negative impact he had caused at someone.

    But really.. for someone to take revenge at him intentionally destroying his life and there go some people condoning that action.. that is so wrong in many levels. I feel sorry for you as probably you didn’t have proper guidance and no strong support group to be having such horribly cruel heart.

  14. The victims revenge resulted to hardship of many more innocent people.
    I understand that they want to speak up even after 10 years or more. Bullying is horrible. It will leave a deep scar to any victims. But resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Remaining in a constant state of grief, heartache and resentment is harder. Yeah, we are not the victims to decide if we will forgive him or not. But when you repay evil with evil, you become evil.

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