South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun's entertainment career has come to a complete halt for a full year after he became embroiled in both emotional and financial disputes involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron. On the 3rd, veteran Korean journalist and former reporter Lee Jin-ho disclosed the latest updates on Kim Soo-hyun, revealing that a friend had spotted him in Seoul's Seongsu-dong looking extremely thin and completely haggard. As Kim Soo-hyun is currently entangled in multiple penalty claim lawsuits and defamation cases, Lee Jin-ho described that he has to spend tens of millions of won (equivalent to tens of thousands of ringgit) every month just to breathe, bearing an immense mental and financial burden, and stated that it wouldn't be surprising if he made an extreme choice!
On the 3rd, through his YouTube channel, Lee Jin-ho revealed that about four or five days ago, a friend had a chance encounter with Kim Soo-hyun in Seongsu-dong. The friend said that Kim Soo-hyun, who has not been seen in public for a long time, looked utterly exhausted, a complete contrast to his high-spirited look at the height of his career. Lee Jin-ho earnestly remarked that with such a heavy burden, "it would not be strange at all if Kim Soo-hyun made an extreme decision"—since even just breathing costs him tens of millions of won each month.
Kim Soo-hyun's current predicament stems from a dispute with Kim Sae-ron's family. In March last year, Kim Sae-ron's surviving family accused Kim Soo-hyun of having a secret relationship with Kim Sae-ron for six years while she was still underage, which gravely damaged Kim Soo-hyun's image and caused 16 endorsement brands to end their partnerships with him. So far, three companies have filed lawsuits, seeking 5.8 billion won (about 15.57 million ringgit) in compensation; one of the cases involves damages amounting to 2.8 billion won (about 7.51 million ringgit).
In response, Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative has categorically denied the "underage relationship" claim, only admitting that the two briefly dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, which was after Kim Sae-ron had reached adulthood. Therefore, the lawyer argues that Kim Soo-hyun is being falsely accused, there is no breach of contract concerning the advertising endorsements, and refuses to pay any compensation. Currently, a legal battle is underway.
In addition to lawsuits from advertisers, Kim Soo-hyun has also taken a tough stance against the exposé program 'Horizontal and Vertical Research Institute,' filing both criminal and civil lawsuits for defamation and false accusation, and is seeking damages of 12 billion won (about 32.23 million ringgit). However, Lee Jin-ho pointed out that after one year and four months, there has been no progress in this case, and with Kim Soo-hyun bogged down in lawsuits and without any income, the financial stress has reached a critical point.
News source: NOWnews Today News Entertainment