Former Rising Actor With Troubled School Bully Past Announces Return
Kim Dong Hee is making a comeback, but not in Korea.
On June 1, 2026, Kim Dong Hee’s official Instagram announced the launch of his official Japanese fan club, D:EAR. The account said, “It has finally opened. Please show lots of support.”
His Japanese X account explained the fan club name meaning.
“‘D:EAR’ is a fan club name that combines the ‘D’ from DONGHEE and ‘DEAR,’ meaning a precious person. It expresses the fans, who are precious to Kim Dong Hee, as well as the hearts of those who cherish Kim Dong Hee.”
— Kim Dong Hee’s Agency
[]
「D:EAR」は？
DONGHEEの「D」と、「大切な人」を意味する「DEAR」を組み合わせたファンクラブ名です。
キム・ドンヒにとって大切な存在であるファンの皆さま、
そして、キム・ドンヒを大切に思ってくださる皆さまの想いを表現しています。#キムドンヒ #김동희 #KIMDONGHEE pic.twitter.com/tcGP8BLxGi— KIM DONG HEE JAPAN OFFICIAL (@kdh_jp_official) June 1, 2026
Kim Dong Hee’s recent social media posts hint at Japanese projects with photos resembling official profiles or promo shoots. Comments on his posts now mostly come from Japanese and international fans, not Korean.
The new Japanese fan club follows Kim signing an exclusive contract with Neos Entertainment in January 2026. He’s already held fan meetings in Japan and continues to post updates from there.
[]
皆さんと日本語で話せる日を目標に、
毎日少しずつ頑張っています！応援してくださいね！#キムドンヒ #김동희 #KIMDONGHEE pic.twitter.com/dshx19IOi5
— KIM DONG HEE JAPAN OFFICIAL (@kdh_jp_official) April 29, 2026
Kim Dong Hee rose to fame with hits like A-TEEN, JTBC’s SKY Castle, Itaewon Class, and Netflix’s Extracurricular. But his Korean career stopped in 2021 amid a school bullying scandal.
The controversy started when posts accused him of bullying a disabled classmate back in school. He denied and sued for defamation but later admitted to some of the claims and apologized.
Now, all eyes are on Kim’s Japanese fan club launch. Can he restart his celebrity career outside Korea?
*| @kim_d.he/Instagram |*