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Organizers criticized after Lee Soo-hyuk forced to sign thousands of autographs at event in China

Published: 04 Sep. 2025, 13:55 Updated: 04 Sep. 2025, 14:38

Actor Lee Soo-hyuk, left, seemingly drenched in sweat during an event with fans in China on Aug. 30 [NEWS1, SCREEN CAPTURE]

Actor Lee Soo-hyuk was reportedly subjected to unreasonable demands by organizers during a fan meet in China. His agency expressed regret, calling it an "unexpected situation."

Lee held a fan meet in Hangzhou, China, on Aug. 30 and was made to sign autographs for thousands of fans for 12 hours due to excessive ticket sales by the event organizers, according to Taiwanese broadcaster EBC on Monday.

The fan meet was initially scheduled to last six and a half hours. However, the report said the event continued for 12 hours after organizers oversold tickets. The air conditioning inside the venue reportedly broke down during the event, leaving Lee drenched in sweat as he completed the schedule. Organizers also allegedly requested that Lee sign an additional 500 posters.

The report added that “Lee kept smiling and stayed focused on communicating with fans” but “appeared extremely unwell and even staggered as he left the venue.”

Images of Lee with a sweat-soaked shirt were widely shared online, intensifying the backlash.

In response, Lee's agency Saram Entertainment issued a statement on Wednesday, saying, “We believe every moment shared between fans and the artist holds special and meaningful value. We deeply regret the unexpected incidents that occurred during the event.”

“We will do our best to ensure better outcomes going forward,” the agency added. “Above all, we hope the sincerity shown by the artist, who did his best under the circumstances, and the fans who supported him with love, is not forgotten — and that this meeting, which happened for the first time in a decade, remains a cherished memory for all.”

The agency, however, did not disclose whether any action was taken against the organizers. It only said, “We extend our sincere gratitude to all the partners, staff and organizers who worked hard for the fan meet.”

Fans reacted by saying the statement seemed “too sympathetic to the organizers” and expressed disappointment, calling the agency's response “unsatisfactory.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]