S-line star Lee Soo-hyuk's fan meet turns into horror show: 12 hours of labour, dehydration and threats in China spark fan outrage

What began as a dream event for fans of Lee Soo-hyuk quickly turned into a nightmare. On August 30, the actor's solo fan meeting, "Eternal Magic Hour: 赫然心?", in China sold out in just two minutes - only to leave him enduring 12 hours of exhaustion, dehydration, and chaos behind the scenes.

Meant to be a 6.5-hour event, it stretched into nearly 12 gruelling hours after organizers allegedly oversold tickets. To make matters worse, the venue's air conditioning failed, leaving the Korean actor battling dehydration as he pushed through endless autograph sessions, according to Taiwanese outlet EBC. The ordeal grew darker still when he was allegedly warned, "Don't think about leaving China until you finish signing."

Soo-hyuk's fan meeting poster. Credit: Saram Entertainment

Fans witness Lee Soo-hyuk's struggle

Attendees described Lee's condition as alarming. Photos circulating online showed the actor drenched in sweat, his face pale, and his walk unsteady. Despite his visible exhaustion, he continued smiling to avoid disappointing fans.

Fans witness Lee Soo-hyuk's struggle. Credit: X

One witness shared, "Even though he looked overheated and at risk of collapse, he kept smiling so fans could leave with happy memories."

Agency response sparks more backlash

Saram Entertainment, Lee's agency, released a statement on September 3 addressing the incident. However, instead of calming the backlash, it added fuel to the fire. The statement referred to the ordeal as "unforeseen circumstances" and even thanked the organizers - something fans viewed as deeply inappropriate.

The agency said: "We deeply regret the unforeseen circumstances that occurred during this event. We will do our best to move forward in a better direction."

A critical moment in Lee Soo-hyuk's career

This controversy carries added weight given Lee's recent career move. After leaving YG Entertainment, he signed exclusively with Saram Entertainment on July 14. The fan meeting was his first major public event under the new agency - an event that was meant to showcase a fresh chapter but instead has become mired in scandal.

Fans are now demanding more than vague apologies. They want a clear explanation of what went wrong, accountability for the organizers, and stronger safeguards for artists participating in overseas events.

Fans demand more than vague apologies. Credit: Instagram comments under Saram Entertainment's response

Lee Soo-hyuk's recent roles

The actor was recently part of the 2025 Wavve fantasy thriller S Line, which premiered on July 11. The drama stirred buzz with its premise: mysterious red lines appear above people's heads, revealing their romantic histories. Lee Soo-hyuk took on the role of Detective Han Ji-wook, who partners with a high school teacher to uncover the dark truth behind the phenomenon.

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