Overview
- The Seoul Central District Court held the first hearing on November 21 in a damages suit by cosmetics brand A against Kim Soo‑Hyun and his agency.
- Brand A increased its demand from 500 million won to 2.86 billion won, citing a morals‑clause breach that it says triggers double the model fee plus losses.
- The company alleges he dated Kim Sae‑ron when she was a minor, later acknowledged the relationship after initially denying it, and caused halted content releases and contract terminations.
- Kim Soo‑Hyun’s legal team denies any minors‑related misconduct, argues the relationship began after she became an adult, and says the contract did not impose an image‑maintenance duty.
- Reports say other advertisers have filed separate claims totaling about 7.3 billion won, and the next court date is set for March 13, 2026.