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An initial ruling has just been handed down in the disputes between Kim Soo-hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, and several former advertisers. On August 27, the Seoul Eastern District Court dismissed the claim filed by the Swiss watch brand Mido, which was seeking approximately 570 million won (approximately €354,000 / 412,000 $), corresponding to a portion of the amount paid under its advertising contract with the actor.
This decision is drawing particular attention because it concerns the the first ruling issued among the various proceedings initiated by trademarks following the allegations that had profoundly affected Kim Soo-hyun's career in 2025.
The court denies Mido's request for reimbursement
Mido had been working with Kim Soo-hyun since 2020 and regularly renewed its contract with the actor. In November 2024, the brand signed a new one-year extension worth 900 million won.
After the outbreak of the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun, Mido had decided to terminate the partnership and had requested a refund of the portion of the fee corresponding to the remaining term of the contract. The brand believed that the commercial value of its model had been compromised and considered this situation to be grounds for terminating the agreement and recovering a portion of the amounts paid.
Gold Medalist, on the other hand, argued that the actor was not responsible for the situation, asserting that the controversy stemmed from false statements made by third parties and doctored documents.
According to Korean media reports, the court ultimately ruled that The conditions justifying termination of the contract were not met and therefore rejected Mido's request.
Kim Soo-hyun's attorney responds to this initial ruling
Bang Sung-hoon, an attorney at the Pyeongsan Law Firm and Kim Soo-hyun’s legal representative, told OSEN that this case was the first to reach the judgment stage among the various ongoing advertising disputes: «Among the brands that have filed lawsuits against Kim Soo-hyun, this is the first case in which a ruling has been issued. The lawsuits filed by the other brands are still pending, and as of now, no trial date has been set.»
According to him, the central issue in these various cases remains that of the actor’s direct responsibility.
«Ultimately, the most important point is whether or not Kim Soo-hyun bears any responsibility in this matter. The results of the investigation showed that he was the victim of a third party who spread false information while tampering with evidence, and that the perpetrator is currently in custody and on trial.»
The attorney acknowledges that advertisers have also suffered economic consequences from the controversy, but believes that the court’s decision draws an important distinction regarding who is responsible for these losses: «It is true that advertisers have also suffered damages as a result of this situation. But the gist of the court’s decision is that these damages should not be sought from a model who is not responsible for the events.»
However, he remains cautious regarding the other proceedings, as contracts are not necessarily identical from one brand to another. «The clauses differ slightly depending on the advertisers, so their arguments aren’t exactly the same, but they remain broadly similar. Since this first claim was denied, we are cautiously hopeful that the other cases will also be resolved in a similar manner.»
Several other proceedings are still pending
Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist are indeed involved in several disputes with former advertising partners, including Eider, Cuckoo, FromBIO, and Trendmaker.
According to the Korean press, The total amount of the various requests is estimated to be approximately 10 billion won, including claims for reimbursement of appearance fees and damages.
This victory against Mido does not, therefore, automatically mean that the other cases will have the same outcome. Each court will have to examine the specific terms of the various contracts and the arguments put forward by the parties.
However, the decision comes amid a legal landscape that has changed significantly in recent months. In particular, the authorities conducting the investigation concluded that certain pieces of evidence presented to support the charges against Kim Soo-hyun had been tampered with, including an audio file purported to be Kim Sae-ron’s voice and KakaoTalk conversations attributed to the actor.
At the same time, Kim Soo-hyun had been under investigation, in particular for violating the Child Protection Act, a case that recently concluded with a decision not to refer the case to the district attorney's office due to lack of charges.
After a long hiatus from his career, the actor has also begun making public appearances again, notably at the Mahakarya RCTI 37 event in Jakarta.
This decision regarding Mido now sets a precedent in the commercial aspect of the case, but Several lawsuits involving other advertisers are still pending.
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