Actor Kim Soo Hyun’s civil lawsuit with an advertiser is set to resume in July, following the arrest and prosecution transfer of Garosero Research Institute head Kim Se Ui on charges related to spreading false information about the actor.
According to reports, the Civil Division 22 of the Seoul Central District Court will resume the third hearing on July 3 for a damages lawsuit worth approximately 2.8 billion KRW. The case was filed by cosmetics brand A against Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist.
The lawsuit officially entered trial seven months after the complaint was first filed in April 2025. After the second hearing in March, proceedings were paused for four months before being scheduled to resume.
Previously, cosmetics brand A announced through its official social media channels that it had decided to terminate its endorsement contract with Kim Soo Hyun following controversy surrounding the actor’s private life in March 2025. At the time, his endorsement deal with the company remained valid until August 2025.
Indirectly referencing allegations involving the late actress Kim Sae Ron, the company explained that it had initially refrained from immediate action out of respect for contractual obligations and professional trust. However, after reviewing statements from Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, the brand concluded there were “serious grounds” making it difficult to continue the endorsement agreement and moved forward with legal termination procedures.
The renewed court proceedings have drawn attention as they come shortly after police decided to transfer Kim Se Ui to prosecutors while in detention over alleged defamation involving Kim Soo Hyun.
Separately, the Suwon District Court is also scheduled to hold a third hearing on June 10 regarding a separate 3.96 billion KRW damages lawsuit filed by health supplement company FromBIO against Kim Soo Hyun and Gold Medalist.
That case had been paused for around eight months following its second hearing in October 2025 as the court awaited developments in related legal matters. After Kim Se Ui was arrested on May 26, the court reportedly notified both parties the following day about the resumption of proceedings.
Kim Soo Hyun is also reportedly facing additional damages claims totaling more than 10 billion KRW from multiple companies, including Classys, Cuckoo Electronics, and Trendmaker.
Meanwhile, Kim Se Ui was transferred to prosecutors on June 3 on multiple charges, including defamation through false information under the Information and Communications Network Act, stalking violations, violations of laws regarding sexual crimes involving filmed content, attempted coercion, and threats.
According to police, Kim Se Ui is accused of spreading claims through YouTube broadcasts between March and May 2025 alleging that Kim Soo Hyun had dated the late Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor and that pressure related to debt repayment from Kim Soo Hyun’s side contributed directly to her death. Authorities also allege that manipulated audio created using generative AI to imitate Kim Sae Ron’s voice was distributed to spread false claims and damage Kim Soo Hyun’s reputation.
Police reportedly believe KakaoTalk messages presented during Kim Se Ui’s March 2025 press conference as evidence of a relationship between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were fabricated as well.
Before his arrest, Kim Se Ui denied all allegations while appearing in court for a warrant review on May 26, calling the investigation “sloppy” and claiming even the basic facts had not been properly established. However, the court approved the arrest warrant, citing concerns over destruction of evidence and risk of flight, later rejecting his appeal against detention.
On June 5, Gold Medalist released a statement thanking those who had spoken up on Kim Soo Hyun’s behalf while waiting for legal procedures to unfold. The agency also expressed gratitude to journalists and supporters who helped uncover what it described as the truth behind the case.
Kim Soo Hyun is reportedly planning to increase his own damages claim against Kim Se Ui from 12 billion KRW to 30 billion KRW.
Sources: Naver
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