Previously, many advertisers sued actor Kim Soo Hyun for damages of up to more than 3 billion won ($2.2 million) for personal controversies, including accusations that he dated the late actor Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor.
Of these, three of the 15 brands that have signed advertising contracts with Kim Soo Hyun have filed a lawsuit or are preparing to sue both the actor and his agency, Gold Medalist.
These companies include domestic listed companies to foreign financial subsidiaries and multinational corporations.
advertisers are terminating Kim Soo Hyun's contract for "violating the contract" or " damaging trust" and seeking to refund certification fees, along with fines or damages based on the terms of the contract.
"Some companies were initially hesitant to file lawsuits because they were concerned that the disputes could be made public, but with ongoing lawsuits, it is expected that many other advertisers will follow," said Park Sung Woo, an entertainment law firm representing advertisers at Wooree Law Firm.
He added: "Kim Soo Hyun's certification fee is known to be around 1 billion to 1.2 billion won per brand for domestic contracts. If more advertisers are involved in the lawsuits, the total compensation claim could exceed 10 billion won."
Responding on May 1, Kim Soo Hyun's agency - Gold Medalist - said it had not yet confirmed whether any lawsuits would be filed officially.
The scandal broke out on March 10 when YouTube channel Hoverlab, also known as Garo Sero Research Institute, accused Kim Soo Hyun of dating Kim Sae Ron for six years since she was a minor. Kim Soo Hyun's side admitted to the relationship but denied dating her when she was still a minor.
Kim Soo Hyun's representative filed a lawsuit demanding 12 billion won in damages to Kim Sae Ron's family and the people running Hoverlab.
