A high-profile authorized battle has erupted between Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun and a cosmetics firm recognized as Model A, with each side presenting sharply conflicting accounts over a 2.8 billion gained ($2.1 million) damages lawsuit. The dispute stems from the model’s declare that Kim broken its public picture amid an argument involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron — an allegation the actor firmly denies.
On Nov. 21, the Seoul Central District Court docket held the primary listening to within the civil go well with, seven months after the case was filed in April. Model A beforehand introduced in March by way of social media that it was terminating its promoting contract with Kim, despite the fact that the one-year deal was initially legitimate by way of August 2025.
In the course of the listening to, Model A’s authorized crew argued that Kim violated the contract’s morality clause as a result of a public dispute surrounding his previous relationship with Kim Sae-ron, who died in February.
The corporate lately elevated the damages sought from 500 million gained to 2.86 billion gained, saying, “The contract specifies paying double the mannequin price in case of breach, and we added the precise losses we incurred.”
Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews
Model An additional stated, “Kim Sae-ron revealed on social media earlier than her dying that she had dated Kim Soo-hyun. At the moment, Kim denied the connection, however after her passing, he acknowledged they’d dated and stated that it solely occurred after she grew to become an grownup. The truth that a famous person like Kim Soo-hyun dated somebody who was a minor is itself a breach of the morality clause.”
The corporate argued that if the connection started when she was an grownup, it nonetheless implies “emotional ties shaped earlier,” which they stated might represent one other violation.
Kim Soo-hyun’s aspect firmly denies allegations
Kim’s representatives rejected the claims as unfounded. They stated, “It’s fully unfaithful that they dated when she was a minor. They started relationship solely after she grew to become a college scholar. A consensual relationship between adults can’t be thought-about a violation of the morality clause.”
In addition they argued that Model A is misapplying the morality clause. “The preliminary denial of the relationship rumor occurred earlier than the contract interval. It’s obscure how statements made when no contract existed will be thought-about a breach,” the crew stated. “The ‘public scandal’ clause solely applies when a selected violation is clearly recognized, and this case doesn’t meet that normal.”
Kim’s attorneys added one other level: Though Model A introduced the termination in March, Kim’s promotional pictures allegedly remained on the model’s Korean and Japanese web sites and in bodily shops in Japan till June. Kim’s crew requested the courtroom to verify this.
Model A responded by saying, “All associated pictures and supplies have been eliminated, and abroad shops have been instructed to halt utilization. The content material has already been taken down.”
The following courtroom listening to is scheduled for March 13, 2026, signaling an extended authorized course of forward for one in all Korea’s most internationally acknowledged actors. With each side refusingg to again down, the case is predicted to stay a significant matter in Korean leisure and promoting circles.
This text from Xportsnews is tailored by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Occasions.
