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Luxury fashion house Prada has responded to speculation about its partnership with Kim Soo-hyun, which emerged amid the actor’s ongoing controversy. According to a report by South Korean media outlet SPOTV on March 14, 2025, the brand’s Client Services stated that Kim Soo-hyun is stepping down as an ambassador and that his contract has been terminated.
The speculations that Prada had ended its association with Kim Soo-hyun due to allegations related to his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron have been confiremed. For those unfamiliar, Kim Sae-ron was discovered deceased in her apartment on February 16, 2025. The date coincides with Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday. Reports claim that the actor was allegedly involved with her while she was still a minor.
The rumors intensified when a Prada Asia-Pacific WhatsApp response surfaced. The reports allegedly confirmed the end of the collaboration. The company has now officially confirmed that the contract has been terminated. They stated,
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"Considering the seriousness of the issue, we have decided to end our collaboration with actor Kim Soo-hyun by mutual agreement. The contract has been terminated. This was a decision made at the headquarters level."
Soo-hyun was appointed as Prada’s global ambassador in December 2024, with the brand highlighting his global influence and popularity. This was after his success in Queen of Tears.
Following the confirmation, netizens took to X to express their thoughts on the same with one X user sharing,
"Servers him right!"
Many others also expressed their support for the brand, praising it for making the right decision by ending its partnership with the actor.
"Prada made the right decision," an X user wrote.
"Finally, some accountability. One step closer to justice," another user remarked.
"I support you Prada, you have done a good thing," a netizen added.
Many called out other brands to do the same.
"THANK YOU. MORE TO COME PLEASE. Everything he is working on should be cut and cancelled. BOYCOTT KIM SOOHYUN," an X user added.
"may this be the beginning of his end. he have to be removed from all the current projects he's working on. every single brand should cut ties with him and the south korean entertainment industry must blacklist him for lifetime," another netizen mentioned.
All we know about Kim Soo-hyun’s controversy and its impact on brand endorsements
Kim Soo-hyun is under public scrutiny after reports from a YouTube channel, Garosero Research Institute claimed that he was in a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. Allegations also stated that his agency, Gold Medalist, pressured the actress to repay 700 million won ($482,000). This allegedly added to her financial distress and eventual passing on February 16, 2025.
Following these claims, several brands including Jeju Air, Homeplus, Shinhan Bank, Tous Les Jours, Eider, Cuckoo, Jo Malone, and Shabu All Day reportedly began pulling advertisements or reconsidering their association with the actor.
Dinto, a vegan beauty brand, was among the first to halt activities featuring Kim Soo-hyun, with its CEO confirming the decision on social media. They stated,
“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.”
Amid growing pressure, Soo-hyun’s agency Gold Medalist initially denied all allegations. However, on March 14, the company admitted that the actor had dated Kim Sae-ron, but only between mid-2019 and late 2020, when she was already an adult. They also stated that the legal notice regarding her financial obligations was a standard contractual process and denied any intent to cause harm.
Despite this clarification, Kim Sae-ron’s family has publicly refuted the agency’s statement. They called it a distortion of the truth. Her mother has also announced plans to release her own statement which could be more damaging to the actor's image.
As the controversy unfolds, Soo-hyun's endorsements remain under scrutiny, with many companies closely monitoring public sentiment before making final decisions.
