South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has been ordered by a court to return approximately 1.16 billion won (around US$870,000) to health supplement company FromBIO following a legal dispute connected to the controversy surrounding his personal life and the late actress Kim Sae Ron.
However, the court dismissed the advertiser’s claims that the actor had breached his contractual obligations, making the ruling more complicated than an ordinary damages judgment.
On November 13, the 14th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court ruled partially in favour of FromBIO in its lawsuit against Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist.
The court ordered the defendants to jointly pay 1,159,894,000 won, along with interest. FromBIO had initially sought approximately 3.96 billion won, including advertising fees and contractual penalties.
The lawsuit began after FromBIO selected Kim Soo Hyun as its advertising model in 2024.
Following the controversy that emerged in 2025, the company stopped using advertisements featuring the actor and claimed that the situation had negatively affected its brand image and business interests.
The controversy involved allegations that Kim Soo Hyun had been in a relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor.
The actor’s side consistently denied this, maintaining that their relationship began only after she became an adult.
Court Rejects Claims of Contractual Misconduct Against Kim Soo Hyun
One of the most significant aspects of the judgment was the court’s decision regarding the advertiser’s allegations of contractual wrongdoing.
FromBIO had argued that Kim Soo Hyun violated the duty to maintain dignity included in his advertising contract and therefore demanded the return of the modelling fee along with additional penalties.
However, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal representatives stated that the court dismissed the claims based on alleged misconduct and contractual penalties.
They also maintained that the court found no fault on the actor’s or his agency’s part that would justify terminating the agreement.
According to the actor’s legal team, the court also considered the response from Kim Soo Hyun’s side after the allegations emerged to be neither false nor inappropriate.
The approximately 1.16 billion won payment, therefore, concerns the return of modelling fees for the period during which FromBIO could not use the advertisements.
The contract reportedly contained a settlement provision allowing fees to be calculated according to the period in which the promotional material remained unusable.
Kim Soo Hyun’s representatives further stated that the court identified Kim Se Ui, head of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, as primarily responsible for raising the allegations and spreading false information that contributed to the negative image surrounding the actor.
Kim Soo Hyun’s Agency Announces Appeal Against the Decision
Despite the partial dismissal of the advertiser’s claims, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal team expressed strong disagreement with the court’s decision to require the return of modelling fees.
They argued that the actor should not have to bear the financial consequences of advertisements being withdrawn because of false allegations circulated by a third party.
His representatives stated,
“Actor Kim Soo-hyun is a victim of the crime of disseminating false information.”
They further explained,
“It is unjust enough to be victimized by a crime, and we cannot possibly accept treating the consequences of that crime as force majeure and requiring the advertising model, who is the victim, to return the modeling fees.”
The legal team confirmed that an appeal had already been filed after receiving the written judgment and that they intended to challenge the portion concerning the repayment of advertising fees.
The controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun has also involved separate legal proceedings. Investigative authorities previously determined that audio recordings and KakaoTalk materials circulated by Kim Se Ui were fabricated or manipulated.
Kim Se Ui was subsequently indicted and detained on charges that include spreading false information and defamation.
With the appeal now underway, the final outcome of the advertiser dispute remains undecided.
The latest ruling is a partial victory for FromBIO, but it also represents an important distinction: the court did not accept the advertiser’s claims of contractual misconduct against Kim Soo Hyun, while ordering the return of fees for the period when the advertisements could not be used.
