Kim Hyun-joong hit by double blow: ex-girlfriend's TikTok debut, Japan concert canceled over fraud allegations

Kim Hyun-joong (40), who rose to fame as the leader of K-pop group SS501, has been hit by a string of setbacks. His former girlfriend — who sparked controversy more than a decade ago by giving birth to his child outside of marriage — has debuted as a TikTok creator, while a Japan concert tour he was part of has been canceled following fraud allegations against actor Ahn Yong-jun.

According to Ilgan Sports, Five O One — a group formed by SS501 members Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng and Kim Kyu-jong — had been scheduled to perform eight times in Japan in total, four times in September and four more times in early next year, but the concerts were abruptly canceled on Sept. 3.

Bebe Entertainment, led by Ahn, was responsible for producing the Japan concerts but allegedly failed to make adequate preparations, making it impossible to stage the shows, according to Five O One's agency Henecia.

Ahn received 500 million won ($377,000) in investment from an entertainment company called Mint Bridge for concert production, but allegations have emerged that he used the funds for purposes unrelated to the concerts. Mint Bridge estimated its total losses from the concert project at 3 billion won.

In response, Mint Bridge and others filed a complaint with police against Ahn on Wednesday, alleging fraud, embezzlement, occupational embezzlement, forgery of private documents and use of forged private documents.

Separately from the Five O One concert project, Ahn has also been sued on allegations that he solicited investment for concert, fan meeting and album production ventures from another individual by presenting false documents. The complainant in that case put the total damages at approximately 489.63 million won.

Adding to Kim's troubles, his former girlfriend — who caused controversy by giving birth to his child out of wedlock — debuted as a TikTok creator on Thursday under the stage name SeeU, drawing wide attention.

SeeU has been broadcasting live on TikTok and is reportedly planning a range of content in beauty, health and entertainment on the platform going forward.

For Kim, who married in 2022 and has a child of his own, the renewed spotlight on the out-of-wedlock controversy is an unwelcome development. SeeU has also been giving updates about the child on her broadcasts.

SeeU dated Kim for about three years from 2012 and in 2015 publicly claimed she had become pregnant with his child, igniting the controversy. She ultimately gave birth, and after a paternity dispute the child was confirmed to be Kim's. The child is currently in SeeU's care.

SeeU filed a lawsuit seeking 1.6 billion won in damages against Kim, claiming she suffered emotional harm during her pregnancy and the ensuing conflict. She also alleged that she had previously been pregnant with Kim's child but miscarried after he assaulted her.

Kim, in turn, said he had already paid SeeU 600 million won under a confidentiality agreement without contesting the truth of her claims, and accused her of violating that agreement by going public. He also raised the possibility that her claims about the pregnancy and miscarriage were false. The dispute escalated into mutual criminal complaints and civil lawsuits between the two sides.

In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that SeeU's claims — including the pregnancy, the miscarriage caused by Kim's alleged assault, and alleged coercion to have an abortion — were false, and ordered her to pay Kim 100 million won in damages.