Actor Kim Jung Hyun’s Hotly-Debated “Apology” Finally Airs—Here’s What He Actually Said
Soon after KBS‘s “2024 KBS Drama Awards” decided to go pre-recorded instead of live, in mourning for the lives lost in the Jeju Air plane crash, actor Kim Jung Hyun‘s acceptance speech became hotly debated among those who attended the ceremony.
According to the attendees, the actor apologized (some believed to Girls’ Generation‘s Seohyun) for his behavior during the production of MBC‘s 2018 K-Drama, Time.
While what the actor said on stage was unverifiable, K-Drama fans, especially Seohyun fans, were quick to criticize him for disrespecting the idol-turned-actress all over again.
Over a thousand comments accused Kim Jung Hyun of basically forcing his former co-star to accept his apology by making it public. At one point, the criticism grew so fiercely that Kim Jung Hyun’s agency, Story J Company, had to issue an official statement clarifying that his apologetic acceptance speech wasn’t directly addressed at anyone.
Then, on January 11, 2025 (KST), KBS aired the pre-recorded ceremony…
…including Kim Jung Hyun’s much hotly-debated speech. As he accepts his “Top Excellence Award” for his current role in Iron Family, Kim Jung Hyun does apologize—but now, with the whole context, his full speech is being much better received than it had initially been.
Here’s what he actually said:
“Oh, wow. Thank you, God. I know very well how lacking and inadequate I am. Even so, I’m very grateful to be standing here today. I’m trembling a bit. To be honest, just a few years ago, I thought I would never be able to act again. There were various reasons, and I also thought myself that I wouldn’t be able to. But being able to stand in a place like this is something I’m deeply, deeply thankful for.
And while it’s natural to express gratitude after receiving an award here, personally, I believe that true gratitude cannot exist without reflecting on the past first. At one point in my acting career, there were times when I behaved poorly and did things I should never have done, hurting and disappointing people around me. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize. I also do not think that, just because I’m apologizing, it’s over. Of course, I don’t expect forgiveness. However, I believe it’s a step I must take to move forward in my life.
That was something weighing heavy on my heart, but now that I’ve talked about it, let me express my gratitude and step off the stage. To my dearest Iron Family, KBS, scriptwriter Seo Sook Hyang, KIST, Monster Union’s CP Kim Young Seok, director Sung Joon Eui, Yong Soo hyung, Woo Kyung, directors Young Si Young and Seung Go, Hee Joo, and all the other staff members who support us and capture us so beautifully, thank you so much.
To my senior co-stars Kim Young Ok, Park In Nam, and my ‘parents,’ along with sunbae co-stars Park Ji Young, Shin Hyun Joon, and Kim Hye Eun, as well as Sae Rok, Tae Joon, Hye Ji, and Hyun Jun, thank you all so much for working so hard. I know everyone is exhausted, but I will strive to be a team member who can truly support and help everyone.
And to the fans who made it possible for me to stand here, I want to sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are people I’ve wanted to acknowledge if I ever received an award for acting: CEO Ahn Sung Yong, Jun Young-ie hyung, Jae Wook-ie hyung, and Myung Ho, who were part of the company where I first began acting. Though we are now walking different paths, I genuinely hope that you all have peace and blessing, always.
To my current team—CEO Jang Doo Bong, Chan-ie, Jae Ho, and Su Ji—thank you so much. And to Soo Hyun, Eun Seo, and Seung Do, I appreciate all your hard work. Here I am, attending the ‘2024 Drama Awards,’ and as I look back on the year, I realize that in my life, the “Grand Prize” of 2024 goes to my hyungs: Jae Soon, Jin Hyuk, Dong, Hyun Sik, and Jong Gyo. Thanks to you all, I laughed so much and had a truly happy year. With that energy, I’ve been able to shoot Iron Family well, and I am incredibly grateful.
Lastly, to my father, mother, hyung, and dongsaeng who had to share all of my burdens and sufferings in the name of family… I’ve always wanted to be a proud son and brother to you, but I struggled with that. I can only hope that this moment today would be remembered as a small but proud moment for us. Thank you, I love you all.”
— Kim Jung Hyun
Under the official video posted to KBS’s YouTube channel, comments praised Kim Jung Hyun for the beautifully-said speech.
- “Reflecting publicly is such a difficult thing to do… It’s hard to even do in front of family. But seeing him acknowledge his mistakes and grow from them is so admirable. Sincerity will prevail.”
- “Kim Jung Hyun can do it all—witty characters, serious ones, or even comedic ones. His acting is reliable. Congratulations on winning the Top Excellence award!”
- “The emotional moment at the end… This acceptance speech was so inspiring and I could tell all the struggles he went through leading up to it. Every word was filled with sincerity and it makes me want to support him a lot more. I genuinely hope that his future is filled with nothing but success and happiness going forward. Rooting for him!”
- “Just imagine how much courage it must have taken to acknowledge his mistakes and reflect publicly like this. His acting is so good that I missed him during his hiatus. I hope he can take on more roles and see even greater success!”
- “I expected nothing less from Kim Jung Hyun. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for him all this time… I hope he can shake it off and grow into an even more amazing actor. Hwaiting, Kim Jung Hyun! Congratulations on the win!”
Here are all the winners from the “2024 KBS Drama Awards.”
