Will the court side with the brands?
This article is part of our coverage of Kim Soo Hyun And Kim Sae Ron’s Relationship. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.
Will actor Kim Soo Hyun survive the series of high-stakes compensation lawsuits he now faces from advertisers? A New Daily exclusive has since reported that, after the actor’s past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron shattered his “upright” reputation to pieces, multiple brands that had signed contracts with him have now slapped him with penalties.
According to the report, Kim Soo Hyun has been the face of 16 brands—several of which are now either reviewing legal action or have already begun proceedings. The actor is in violation of the “morality clause” of his endorsement contracts, which usually specifies that the celebrity must not engage in illegal or socially controversial behavior that could damage the brand. So, how much does Kim Soo Hyun owe in penalties so far?
On June 13, it was reported that Cuckoo, the rice cooker brand, applied for asset seizure against Kim Soo Hyun. At the time, reports shared that legal action had been initiated not only by Cuckoo Electronics but also by Cuckoo Homesys, its Malaysian subsidiary.
Millions Worth Of Kim Soo Hyun’s Assets Get Seized
Since then, two additional companies have been confirmed to have filed multi-billion KRW lawsuits against Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, GOLD MEDALIST.
FromBIO, a health supplement brand known for their stem cell hair loss treatment product development, had chosen Kim Soo Hyun as an ambassador in October 2024 after his K-Drama Queen of Tears saw huge success. When his scandal broke in March 2025, FromBIO pulled all ads and filed a ₩3.96 billion KRW (about $2.89 million USD) damages suit on May 16—hinting at how high the actor’s model fee might have been.
Trendmaker, which operates the vegan beauty brand DINTO, signed with Kim Soo Hyun in August 2023. After the scandal, and then getting “cancelled” for initially sticking up for the actor, it filed for a ₩500 million KRW (about $365,000 USD) damages suit on April 25.
Popular K-Beauty Brand Gets Cancelled After They Show Support For Kim Soo Hyun
All in all, Kim Soo Hyun and GOLD MEDALIST are facing a total of ₩7.34 billion KRW (about $5.36 million USD) in lawsuits so far. Amid the news, netizens have urged other brands, including Disney+, to pursue legal action and seek financial compensation from the actor for smearing their reputations.
- “Only ₩7.30 billion KRW (about $5.33 million USD)…? Isn’t that too little?”
- “Rooting for the advertisers… Make sure you get what you’re owed!”
- “If he really charged ₩700 million KRW (about $511,000 USD) per episode for his K-Dramas, these penalties are pocket change.”
- “Homeplus should sue him, too.”
- “For Kim Soo Hyun, that’s probably pocket change. All he has to do is sell one of his properties.”
- “He’s got tons of money anyway, just pay up.”
- “Any word from Disney?”
- “Star Kim Soo Hyun probably owns a lot of real estate, so whatever.”
Earlier, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal counsel noted that the cosmetics and skincare company Classys has seized one of his apartments.
Read more about it here:
Advertiser Seizes Kim Soo Hyun’s Luxury Apartment After He Fails To Pay Penalty Fee
