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On March 15, 2025, Dinto Cosmetics announced the termination of their advertising model contract with actor Kim Soo-hyun, following the ongoing controversy regarding his alleged relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron.
The brand announced this through their Instagram page along with a lengthy statement. They mentioned that they delayed the termination for a few days to uphold the principle of "good faith" following the controversy.
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Furthermore, they indicated that the brand merely wished to wait for Kim Soo-hyun or his agency to express their position on the matter. Dinto Cosmetics also pointed out that the contract was valid until August 2025, however, following GOLD MEDALIST's (Kim Soo-hyun's agency) statement, they are officially proceeding with the termination process.
They ended the statement by emphasizing that the decision reflects Dinto Cosmetics' values and that they will always be committed to making decisions that align with their brand philosophy and consumer expectations. They stated,
"This decision was made to uphold the values that DINTO stands for and to honor the trust placed in us by our consumers."
The statement further read,
"Going forward, we remain committed to making responsible and prudent decisions that align with our brand philosophy and consumer expectations, while also focusing on meaningful projects that create lasting value. Thank you."
The brand had faced major backlash following CEO Ahn Ji-hye's initial reaction after the controversy emerged. On March 11, she posted a message on social media stating that she would trust and wait for Kim Soo-hyun, and rather than being swayed by speculation, she would focus on what she could and must do, as reported by Maeil Business Newspaper on March 12.
Later, however, she posted an apology. As per Maeil Business Newspaper, she wrote,
"I deeply apologize for this issue. I deeply feel responsible for the confusion and inconvenience caused by this article written in the evening of March 10-11. At the time, I thought it was necessary to inform that I was monitoring and waiting for a process to confirm the facts more clearly."
The brand then put all the planned schedules related to the actor on hold.
All about actor Kim Soo-hyun and late actress Kim Sae-ron's alleged dating scandal
On March 10, 2025, a YouTube channel called Garosero Research Institute released a video that claimed that the late actress Kim Sae-ron had been in a long-term relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun, from 2015 to 2021. The video featured Sae-ron's aunt, who disclosed that the two began dating when Kim Soo-hyun was 27 and Sae-ron was 15.
The video also mentioned that Sae-ron joined the actor's management agency, GOLD MEDALIST, in 2019. The agency was founded by Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin. Reportedly, the late actress initially worked for free at the agency, giving acting classes and directing emerging talent in order to help Soo-hyun.
The couple allegedly dated for six years before the Queen of Tears actor distanced himself, following Sae-ron's 2022 DUI scandal. However, Kim Soo-hyun and GOLD MEDALIST originally covered the damages from the incident, which amounted to 700 million KRW (about £485,000), without asking her to repay the money.
But after her contract with GOLD MEDALIST ended in 2024, the agency sent her a legal notice to pay back the money immediately. When she tried to contact Soo-hyun, he reportedly did not answer her calls. Then, when Sae-ron tried to get his attention by posting and deleting a picture with the actor on Instagram, the agency issued an official statement that painted her in a bad light.
GOLD MEDALIST initially refuted all claims made by the Garosero channel, even threatening legal action. However, following considerable backlash, they released a statement on March 14, admitting that both actors had previously dated. They emphasized that their relationship started from the summer of 2019 to the autumn of 2020, when the actress was already an adult.
Kim Sae-ron passed away on February 16, 2025, in Seoul. The cause of her death was determined to be a su*cide.
