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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Kim Soo-hyun sued by companies after the Kim Sae-ron controversy

Kim Soo-hyun sued by companies after the Kim Sae-ron controversy

Published Apr 29, 2025 01:16 am

Two companies have filed a lawsuit against Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun, who was hired as their advertising model, following the dating controversy with the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

Kim Sae-ron was found dead last Feb. 16, the birthday of Kim Soo-hyun.

In March, YouTube channel HoverLab (Garosero Research Institute) uploaded videos accusing him of dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. Kim Sae-ron’s family provided details, including photos and videos, to claim their relationship.

Hoverlab20C.jpg

Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron (Screenshots from HoverLab videos on YouTube)

The YouTube channel also released a message and statement written by Kim Sae-ron in which she said that she and Kim Soo-hyun were in a relationship from Nov. 19, 2015 to July 7, 2021 at a time when she was a minor.

Kim Soo-hyun, star of the hit drama "Queen of Tears," held a press conference on March 31 to deny the claim and said he dated her when she became an adult from 2019 to 2020.

Korean media outlet YTN published an exclusive report on April 29 stating the two companies, which had advertising contracts with Kim Soo-hyun, filed a lawsuit against the star and his agency, Gold Medalist, for the return of model fees and damages.

The total amount of the lawsuit between the two companies amounted to about 3 billion won (about $2.08 million).

The report added that another company is considering filing a lawsuit to terminate its advertising contract with Kim Soo-hyun due to damage to trust and to demand the return of model fees.

"It is known in the industry that Kim Soo-hyun has signed advertising model contracts with 15 brands, and based on domestic contracts, the model fee per contract is around 1 billion (about $695,000) to 1.2 billion won (about $834,000)," entertainment lawyer Park Sung-woo told YTN.

He added, "Usually, advertisers tend to be reluctant to let it be known that they filed a lawsuit against a model first. However, if it is revealed that even one company filed a lawsuit, it seems that more advertisers will join the lawsuit."

In another report by Korean media outlet Hankyung, a company filed a lawsuit for 500 million won (about $347,000) in damages against Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist at the Seoul Central District Court on April 25.

Kim Soo-hyun earlier filed a lawsuit to seek damages amounting to 11 billion won (about $7.65 million) against HoverLab, Kim Sae-ron’s family and an unidentified person referred to as Kim Sae-ron’s “aunt” in YouTube videos.

The Seoul Central District Court’s civil agreement division will hear the lawsuit.

As a result of the controversy, Disney+ postponed the release of Kim Soo-hyun’s new drama “Knock-Off.”

Kim Sae-ron was an actress under Gold Medalist. In May 2022, her career came to a halt after she was involved in a drunk driving incident in Seoul.

In April 2023, a court fined her 20 million won (about $14,000) for the incident.

Related Tags

Kim Sae-ron Kim Soo-hyun dating Kim Sae-ron Kim Soo-Hyun
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