Hyun Bin Issues Public Apology Over 19-Year-Old Controversy

Actor Hyun Bin has publicly apologized due to the resurfacing of the 'Sam-sik is a junk car' controversy, which has emerged nearly 19 years after the airing of the hit MBC drama My Name is Kim Sam-soon (내 이름은 김삼순). The show, which aired in 2005, achieved remarkable success, recording a peak viewership rating of over 50% and an average of 36.9%. Kim Sun-ah, who played the titular role of Sam-soon, won the prestigious Grand Prize at the MBC Acting Awards that year, while Hyun Bin, portraying the male lead Hyun Jin-heon, gained the nickname 'Sam-sik' and rose to stardom.

In the drama, Hyun Jin-heon is depicted as a 27-year-old owner of a French restaurant, seemingly the perfect man—handsome, wealthy, and successful. However, he is also characterized by his emotional volatility, often throwing objects in anger and prioritizing his feelings over others, which sometimes leads to excessive aggression, particularly towards the female lead.

As time has passed, viewers have begun to criticize the character, labeling him as 'Sam-sik is a junk car,' reflecting a shift in societal standards. Comments have emerged questioning the portrayal of a handsome chaebol heir and prince charming, now viewed as a typical 'bad boy' or 'toxic man' in contemporary contexts.

Recently, a remastered version of My Name is Kim Sam-soon was released on the OTT platform Wave as part of the 'Wave New Classic Project.' The production team faced significant challenges in re-editing the eight-episode series, particularly regarding the character of Hyun Jin-heon. Director Kim Yoon-cheol shared in a September interview that upon reevaluation, he felt that some of Hyun Jin-heon's behaviors and attitudes were no longer acceptable by today's standards. He noted, 'I thought, even I find this excessive now,' and aimed to minimize problematic cuts and dialogues without disrupting the narrative.

In a notable scene, Hyun Jin-heon disrupts a date between Sam-soon and another man three times, leading fans to speculate that Sam-soon's true soulmate was her date. When asked if Sam-soon would still choose Jin-heon in 2024, Kim Sun-ah humorously sighed, 'Oh...' eliciting laughter.

In a recent interview promoting his film Harbin, Hyun Bin addressed the 'Sam-sik is a junk car' theory, admitting, 'I haven't seen the remastered version of My Name is Kim Sam-soon yet. I heard about the junk car theory, and I apologize for that (laughs). I just followed the script; there were no personal opinions involved. It was 20 years ago, right?' His sincere apology brought smiles.

Reflecting on his extensive filmography, Hyun Bin expressed gratitude for the opportunities he has had to work with talented writers, directors, and actors, stating, 'It's a good and thankful thing. Fortunately, the projects I worked on have received love and attention from many people, and I appreciate that. You never know when such opportunities will come again.'

The film Harbin, directed by Woo Min-ho and distributed by CJ ENM, is set in 1909 and follows a thrilling chase and intrigue among those heading to Harbin for a singular purpose. In the film, Hyun Bin portrays Ahn Jung-geun, a general who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, delivering a powerful performance. The film, produced by Hive Media Corp, reunites the team behind works like Spring in Seoul and The Outlaws, and is set to release on December 25, featuring a star-studded cast including Park Jung-min, Jeon Yeo-been, Park Hoon, Lee Dong-wook, and Jo Woo-jin.