Cosmetics brand 'A' demands ~$1.95 million USD in damages from Kim Soo Hyun for breach of advertising model contract

On the morning of November 21 KST, the 22nd civil division of the Seoul Central District Court convened for the first hearing in the damages lawsuit filed by cosmetics brand 'A' against actor Kim Soo Hyun.

Cosmetics brand 'A' previously signed an advertising model contract with Kim Soo Hyun which was due to last until August of this year. However, when Kim Soo Hyun became embroiled in allegations of dating a minor, brand 'A' prematurely terminated its contract with the actor in March, before pursuing a damages lawsuit in April. 

On this day, brand 'A's side claimed that the company had suffered significant damages due to Kim Soo Hyun's failure to "maintain a respectful image", and demanded a total of 2.86 billion KRW (~ 1.95 million USD) in damages, a sizable increase from its initially stated damages demand of 500 million KRW. 

In response, Kim Soo Hyun's side argued that "there was no agreement in the contract that required [Kim Soo Hyun] to maintain a respectful image." The actor's side further asserted, "The claim that Kim Soo Hyun dated actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor is entirely false. They dated when she became an adult."

Regarding its decision to increase the demanded amount in damages, brand 'A' said, "The advertising model contract states that in the event of a breach of contract, the party responsible for the breach must pay double the modeling fee."

The second hearing in this ongoing case is scheduled for March 13, 2026. 

Meanwhile, another court hearing between Kim Soo Hyun's legal representative and an electronics company 'B' over a damages lawsuit occurred earlier on November 15.