Brands Lawsuits Against Kim Soo Hyun Reportedly Amount To Over 7 Billion Won As More Move To Initiate Legal Action

Its been reported that Kim Soo Hyun is being sued by many brands, and the estimated amount is over 7 billion won!

On June 18, New Daily reported that several of the 16 brands that hired actor Kim Soo Hyun as a commercial model are either reviewing legal action or have already initiated lawsuits.

Typically, celebrity advertising contracts include a so-called “morality clause,” which outlines obligations for both the company (Party A) and the celebrity (Party B). These clauses often state that Party B must not engage in any behavior that violates the law, causes social controversy, or damages Party A’s image. If such actions occur, the contract may be terminated, and Party B must compensate Party A for damages equivalent to the model fee.

Kim Soo Hyun recently came under fire due to allegations that he dated the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. As the controversy over his private life grew, public backlash intensified, leading many brands to suspend ads featuring him.

In addition, several companies are reportedly considering lawsuits against Kim Soo Hyun based on the morality clause. According to the report, individual companies are filing compensation claims ranging from approximately 500 million won to over 3.9 billion won. The total claimed amount reportedly reaches 7.34 billion won [around $5,286,179].

However, whether actions that occurred before Kim Soo Hyun signed the contracts can be considered violations remains a point of legal contention. A fierce legal battle is expected regarding the extent of the breach, whether a breach occurred at all, and who is liable.

On June 13, it was revealed that an electronics company that had employed Kim Soo Hyun as a model for 10 years had filed a 100 million won asset preservation request in April. The Seoul Eastern District Court accepted this request on May 20. The company also filed a separate damages lawsuit last month demanding 850 million won [$615,513] in compensation.

Furthermore, on May 8, a medical equipment company that had selected Kim Soo Hyun as a model filed a request for provisional seizure of his real estate. The Seoul Eastern District Court accepted the request and approved a provisional seizure of his unit in Galleria Foret, reportedly worth 3 billion won.

The medical equipment firm reportedly canceled the endorsement contract and demanded a penalty after Kim Soo Hyun’s scandal involving Kim Sae Ron, but when compensation was not paid, they moved to seize his property.

Did this surprise you? who do you think is liable?

Source: (A)