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Kim Soo-hyun recently got embroiled in a controversy as the late Kim Sae-ron’s aunt accused him of dating her when she was underage. Due to this, several brand endorsements of the South Korean actors are facing a conflict, leading companies to put a hold on his activities or remove the content he was featured in.
On March 12, 2025, Jeju Airlines reportedly made a 10-year-old video featuring Kim Soo-hyun private. Notably, a decade ago, the Queen of Tears actor was picked as the face of the airline. However, an official from the airlines denied the incident being connected to the Secretly, Greatly actor's recent controversy.
The company further explained that they have made content featuring celebrities in the past private following the Muan Airlines incident that occurred in January 2025.
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Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun was announced as the ambassador of the vegan beauty brand Dinto in August 2024. On March 11, 2025, Dinto CEO Ahn Ji-hye announced halting scheduled activities and promotions with the actor through her Instagram threads page.
She said:
“As of today, 3/11, all of us have been gathering facts and discussing our response, and we have put all planned events related to the model on hold.”
Kim Soo-hyun’s brand deals with Homeplus & Eider continue amid controversy involving Kim Sae-ron
On March 10, 2025, Kim Soo-hyun made headlines as the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute accused him of being in a relationship with late South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron for six years, when she was allegedly a minor.
On February 16, 2025, Kim Sae-ron (24 years old) was found dead in her apartment, and later the officials reportedly confirmed she had died of suicide.
Although his agency GOLD MEDALIST firmly denied the accusations, Garosero Research Institute shared alleged evidence, including text messages from Kim Sae-ron, to prove the claims.
Due to this, Kim Soo-hyun faced backlash from online communities and international fans, with many urging a boycott of the brands he endorses. As a result, several brands and companies have made statements about the situation, and some have revealed their future plans with him.
Homeplus announced Kim Soo-hyun as the face of the company on February 22, 2024. In a statement, Homeplus also reportedly stated that the allegations against the Real actor have not been concluded as facts and they would closely observe the situation, signaling a continuation of their partnership.
They said:
“Since there are no objectively confirmed facts yet, we are going to observe the situation and review it carefully. As of now, there hasn't been any change because it is still an unverified claim.”
Furthermore, K2 Korea has reportedly removed images of Kim Soo-hyun from their official website K-Village and their Instagram handle. On the other hand, K2 Korea’s subsidiary brand Eider has still displayed its ads on Instagram.
The outdoor equipment store also reportedly shared their stance about the ongoing allegations against Kim Soo-hyun affecting their deal. They stated nothing has been confirmed yet and would not make any additional statement regarding the same.
They stated:
“There are no final decisions yet, so we don't have anything additional to communicate.”
Additionally, the Queen of Tears actor is also the model for CJ Foodville’s bakery brand Tous Les Jours, and their contract is reportedly coming to an end in March 2025. The actor has been the face of the company since 2015 and renewed the contract last year in 2024.
According to Newsis, as the contract expiration draws near, the probability of renewal has reportedly gone down.
Shabu-shabu brand Shabu All Day has also deleted his photographs from their Instagram page. Meanwhile, GOLD MEDALIST confirmed to take legal actions against Garosero Research Institute on March 10, 2025, after the YouTuber’s first alleged revelation on Kim Sae-ron.
