South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun was previously accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage, stirring public controversy. After more than a year of thorough police investigation, it was confirmed that the evidence supporting these allegations was fabricated. The police ultimately decided not to prosecute, officially clearing his name. As the false accusations were washed away, Kim Soo-hyun began to gradually resume his entertainment activities. Meanwhile, a major turning point arose in various endorsement contract lawsuits, in which multiple advertisers had sued him for a total claim of up to 10 billion KRW (approximately RM29,150,000) over alleged breach of contract arising from the controversy.
Today, the Civil Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court ruled on a contract termination and refund lawsuit filed by Swiss watch brand MIDO. MIDO had hired Kim Soo-hyun as spokesperson since 2020 and renewed the contract at the end of 2024, paying a signing bonus of 900 million KRW (about RM2,623,000). After the controversy emerged, the brand terminated the contract citing damage to its image, and demanded the refund of 570 million KRW (approximately RM1,660,000) for the remaining endorsement period. The court determined that the underage dating rumors were false information, rejected MIDO's claim, and ruled in favor of Kim Soo-hyun's agency GOLDMEDALIST, stating there is no need to return the related fees.
Attorney Bang Seong-hun, representing Kim’s side, pointed out that MIDO only requested a refund for the unused endorsement period, which was already the most conservative approach in litigation strategy. If even this most basic request was denied by the court, it signals that lawsuits from other brands presenting even stronger grounds for liability will be even less likely to succeed. Additionally, outdoor brand EIDER had previously sued for 2.5 billion KRW (about RM7,288,000) but, after the police confirmed the allegations were fabricated, reduced its claim to a refund of 400 million KRW (about RM1,166,000) for the remaining endorsement period. Although the court suggested reconciliation, an agreement was not reached, and a verdict is expected on October 7. Currently, Kim Soo-hyun still faces litigation from brands such as FromBIO and CLASSYS, but this first victory has established a favorable legal precedent for him.
Source: 1Apple News Network