[Exclusive]Kim Soo-hyun, who has "resumed activities," finally reaches a conclusion… Advertiser's 2.8 billion won lawsuit to be decided in January next year

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The lawsuits involving advertisers of actor Kim Soo-hyun, who had suspended his activities due to privacy issues, are set to conclude their first-instance trials one after another.

According to StarNews's confirmation, the 22nd Civil Division (B) of the Seoul Central District Court will hold the judgment hearing for the 2.8 billion won damages lawsuit filed by cosmetics brand Company A against Kim Soo-hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, on January 22 next year. Prior to this, the 14th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court is also scheduled to hold the judgment hearing on the 3.96 billion won damages claim lawsuit filed by health functional food company From Bio against Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist on the 11th.

The lawsuit with Company A began its trial seven months after the complaint was filed in April 2025, and proceeded through a total of five hearings.

Company A previously announced in March 2025, following the emergence of Kim Soo-hyun's privacy controversy, that it had decided to terminate the advertising model contract via its official SNS. At the time, the model contract between Company A and Kim Soo-hyun was valid until August 2025. Company A stated at the time, "As a partner we have worked with, we judged that it was appropriate to uphold the principle of good faith in our relationship and contract. Therefore, it was difficult to immediately issue an official statement or terminate the model contract before Kim Soo-hyun and his agency made their statements. After reviewing the agency's statement, we determined there were significant reasons making it difficult to fulfill the advertising model contract, and are officially proceeding with the contract termination process through a lawyer. We made this decision to uphold the values our brand pursues and consumer trust."

The lawsuit with From Bio was also suspended for about eight months after the second hearing held on October 22, 2025, in order to observe the outcome of related cases. However, two days after CEO Kim Se-oh was detained last May 26, both parties were notified of a hearing date, and a total of five hearings were completed as of the end of last October.

Kim Soo-hyun is known to have faced damages lawsuits totaling over 10 billion won from multiple companies, including From Bio, Classys, Cuckoo Electronics, and Trend Maker. Attention is focused on what reversal Kim Soo-hyun, whose image was damaged by privacy issues, will bring about in future lawsuits following the detention of CEO Kim Se-oh, who had made exposé broadcasts targeting him.

Meanwhile, CEO Kim Se-oh was detained and referred for prosecution last Wednesday on charges including violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (defamation through dissemination of false facts), violation of the Special Act on Punishment of Stalking Crimes, violation of the Special Act on Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (dissemination of recordings made using cameras, etc.), attempted coercion, and threats.

According to police, CEO Kim Se-oh is suspected of disseminating claims and audio recordings asserting that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and that the direct cause of Kim Sae-ron's death was debt repayment pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side, through YouTube broadcasts and other means between March and May 2025. He is also suspected of defaming Kim Soo-hyun by fabricating false facts using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to manipulate the voice of the late Kim Sae-ron.

Police believe that the KakaoTalk conversation content presented by CEO Kim Se-oh at a press conference in March 2025, where he claimed Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron were dating, was also fabricated.

Subsequently, CEO Kim Se-oh appeared in court on May 26 for an arrest warrant substantive review hearing and denied all charges. He claimed that "(the warrant is) a mess where even basic facts are not organized." However, the court issued an arrest warrant for CEO Kim Se-oh, stating there was "fear of evidence destruction and flight," and did not accept the detention review petition filed by CEO Kim Se-oh to the court.

In response, Gold Medalist stated, "We deeply thank those who have spoken out for a long time on behalf of Mr. Kim Soo-hyun, who was waiting for the procedures prescribed by law, even though they are not direct parties to the case." The agency added, "We also express our gratitude to those who directly investigated and worked hard to clarify the truth of the incident, as well as all those who helped ensure the substance of the case became widely known."

Kim Soo-hyun plans to increase the damages claim amount filed against CEO Kim Se-oh from the previous 12 billion won to 30 billion won.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original