Kim Soo-hyun sued by advertisers, damages may exceed 10 billion won

Actor Kim Soo-hyun speaks during a press conference at Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul, March 31, addressing allegations of a relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Multiple advertisers are suing actor Kim Soo-hyun for damages totaling more than 3 billion won (2.2 million dollars) over personal controversies, including allegations that he dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, The Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.

Legal sources expect the total amount claimed could rise to around 10 billion won.

Three of the 15 brands that had signed advertising contracts with Kim have either filed lawsuits or are preparing to do so against both the actor and his agency, Gold Medalist, the outlet reported.

The companies range from domestic listed firms to overseas financial subsidiaries and multinational corporations.

The advertisers are either terminating their deals for "breach of contract" or "damaged trust" and are seeking the return of endorsement fees, along with penalties or damages based on contract terms.

"Some companies were initially hesitant to file lawsuits out of concern that the disputes might become public, but with lawsuits already underway, it is expected that more advertisers will follow," said entertainment law specialist Park Sung-woo of law firm Wooree, who is representing the advertisers.

He added, "Kim’s endorsement fees are known to be around 1 billion to 1.2 billion won per brand for domestic contracts. If additional advertisers join the lawsuits, the total claimed amount could exceed 10 billion won."

In response, Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, said it has not yet confirmed whether any lawsuits have been officially filed.

The scandal erupted on March 10 when YouTube channel Hoverlab, also known as Garo Sero Research Institute, alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had dated her for six years starting when she was a minor, citing Kim Sae-ron’s family . Kim Soo-hyun's side acknowledged the relationship but denied dating her while she was still underage.

Kim’s team has since filed a lawsuit worth 12 billion won in damages against Kim Sae-ron’s family and the operators of Hoverlab. They have also filed a criminal complaint against the operators for alleged violations of the anti-stalking law.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.