Ji Soo's Former Agency Ordered To Pay 880 Million Won In River Where The Moon Rises Case

More than four years after one of the biggest controversies in the Korean entertainment industry, the legal battle linked to River Where the Moon Rises has finally reached its conclusion. A final court decision has now brought closure to the long-running dispute that followed actor Ji Soo’s sudden departure from the hit historical drama in 2021.

According to Korean media outlet Yonhap, South Korea’s Supreme Court has finalised a ruling ordering Ji Soo’s former agency, Keyeast, to compensate the drama’s production company, Canvas N (formerly Victory Contents). Legal sources said Keyeast withdrew its appeal before the Supreme Court’s Third Division on June 24, making the earlier appellate court’s decision official.

As a result, the agency has been

ordered to pay around 880 million won (approximately $640,000) to Canvas N, along with delayed interest. The production company had initially sought nearly 3 billion won (around $2 million) in damages, arguing that Ji Soo’s exit caused significant financial losses and forced the production into expensive reshoots.

The controversy dates back to March 2021, when River Where the Moon Rises was still airing. Ji Soo was playing the lead role of On Dal, opposite Kim So Hyun, who starred as Princess Pyeonggang, also known as Yeom Ga Jin. Midway through the drama’s broadcast, multiple people accused Ji Soo of school bullying through online posts.

Soon after the allegations surfaced, Ji Soo acknowledged some of the accusations and stepped away from the series. At that point, filming for 18 of the drama’s 20 episodes had already been completed, while six episodes had aired.

To keep the drama on track, the production team cast Na In Woo as the new On Dal starting from episode seven. They also made the unusual decision to reshoot not only the remaining episodes but also the first six that had already been broadcast. The move resulted in major additional costs, including fresh payments for actors and crew, equipment rentals, filming locations and several other production expenses.

Released in 2021, River Where the Moon Rises is based on the legendary Goguryeo folktale of Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal, and draws inspiration from Choi Sagyu’s 2010 novel Princess Pyeonggang. The story follows Princess Pyeonggang, a royal who grows up as a skilled assassin after losing everything. Determined to reclaim her throne, she dreams of becoming Goguryeo’s first Empress.

Her journey changes when she meets the kind-hearted On Dal, a man who wants nothing more than a quiet life. As the two fall in love, On Dal finds himself drawn into royal power struggles and dangerous battles, standing by Pyeonggang through every challenge.

Since the controversy, Ji Soo has spoken about meeting the classmates who had made the school bullying allegations against him. According to the actor, they discussed the past, resolved their misunderstandings and reconciled.

Professionally, Ji Soo has shifted his focus to the Philippines after completing his military service in South Korea. In 2024, he signed an exclusive contract with Sparkle GMA Artist Center and has been steadily building his acting career there.

He made his Philippine television debut in 2024 with Black Rider, where he played Adrian Park, and Abot-Kamay na Pangarap, portraying Dr. Kim Young. In 2025, he appeared as Dong Hyuk/Seong Nam in Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko and played the assassin Woo in Sanggang-Dikit. This year, he landed his first major supporting role in a Philippine drama as Lee Jin Ho in Never Say Die, before most recently starring as Han Bin in Love, Siargao.