Industry insiders estimate Kim Soo-hyun may owe $13.8M in brand advertisement contract penalties over Kim Sae-ron controversy

On March 13, 2025, Munhwa News reported that industry insiders estimated that Kim Soo-hyun might incur penalties totaling approximately 20 billion KRW (around $13.8 million) due to breaches in brand advertisement contracts. The Queen of Tears actor is facing significant professional challenges following allegations of an underage relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

The late actress's family revealed during a livestream with Garosero that the actor dated Kim Sae-ron from 2015 to 2022. The first interview was held on March 10, 2025, followed by a livestream on March 12, 2025.

Munhwa reported that the Queen of Tears actor's estimated per-brand fee is between 700 million KRW (about $480,984) and 1 billion KRW (about $687,120) annually.

On March 13, 2025, Korea JoongAng Daily reported that the Tous les Jours bakery chain removed advertisements featuring the actor from their social media platforms following the allegations.

According to allkpop, the head of Dinto (a cosmetics company) initially defended Kim Soo-hyun but faced fierce backlash. Later, they apologized to the public and suspended all promotions with the actor. The actor's advertisements for Jeju Air have been set to private, suggesting that Jeju will not partner with him for the time being.

Munhwa reported that when a brand ambassador faces a scandal, the celebrity ends up paying two to three times the initial cost of the contract in penalties. Given Kim Soo-hyun's estimated annual endorsement fees per brand, the cumulative penalties could reach up to 20 billion KRW (around $13.8 million).

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Netizens demand 18 global brands cut ties with Kim Soo-hyun amidst his dating controversy with late Kim Sae-ron

The controversy erupted on March 10, 2025, when Kim Sae-ron's family alleged that Kim Soo-hyun was in a romantic relationship with her. This allegedly started when Kim Sae-ron was 15 years old, and he was 27. The claims were originally made by the late actress's aunt during Garosero's interview.

For the uninitiated, Kim Sae-ron took her life on February 16, 2025. BBC reported that her body was discovered by the police at 4.55 pm KST in her Seoul apartment. Notably, she died on the same day as Kim Soo-hyun's 37th birthday.

The aunt revealed several details, such as:

• Allegedly, Kim Soo-hyun dated underaged Kim Sae-ron from 2015 to 2022.
• Kim Sae-ron worked for free for the actor's company (Gold Medalist), which he founded in 2019.
• Kim Soo-hyun allegedly asked Kim Sae-ron to marry him when she became an adult.
• Kim Sae-ron begged the actor to give her some time to pay off 700 million KRW debt.
• Kim Sae-ron died on the same day as Kim Soo-hyun's birthday.

Kim Sae-ron got into a drunk-driving incident in 2022. Her Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was over 0.2%. This crossed the 0.08% limit in South Korea. Her car collided with a transformer, resulting in a power outage in nearby shops and businesses.

The court fined her and ordered her to pay 700 million KRW to the 57 shops and businesses that suffered due to her car crash. Gold Medalist paid off the 700 million KRW on her behalf. But they later served her with a legal notice asking her to pay by December 31, 2023.

News18 reported that Kim Sae-ron texted Kim Soo-hyun after receiving the notice and begged him to help her. The late actress reportedly asked him for a time extension to repay them. However, the actor never replied to her texts or answered her calls.

Fans and consumers have initiated boycott calls targeting over 18 major brands associated with the Queen of Tears actor. They have been urging the companies to terminate their contracts with the actor due to the ongoing scandal.

Here is the list of the brands:

• Swatch Group – MIDO (Watches)
• HEBE Beauty (Cosmetics)
• YOU Beauty (Cosmetics)
• K2 Korea – Eider (Outdoor Apparel)
• Homeplus (Retail)
• Classys – Volnewmer (Beauty)
• Suyen Corporation – BENCH (Clothing)
• Shinhan Financial Group (Finance)
• Shinhan Bank
• All Day Fresh – Shabu All Day (Restaurant)
• Trend Maker – Dinto (Cosmetics)
• Tous Les Jours (Bakery)
• KOSÉ – DECORTÉ AQ (Cosmetics)
• Frombio (Health Supplements)
• Estée Lauder Companies (Fragrance)
• Jo Malone London (Fragrance)
• Cuckoo Electronics – Cuckoo (Home Appliances)
• Prada (Fashion)

Due to the accusations leveled at him, the Queen of Tears actor suffered a loss of 300,000 followers on Instagram. It went down from 21.2 million to 20.9 million as of March 12, 2025, as per a report by Koreaboo. While producers and stakeholders assess the situation, projects starring the 37-year-old actor are reportedly stalled.

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Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, denied the allegations of the actor's alleged dating history with Kim Sae-ron. They stated that they would take legal action against anyone who defamed the actor.