Actor Kim Soo-hyun once again denied in court allegations that he had dated a minor.
On March 13, the 22nd Civil Division (B) of the Seoul Central District Court held the second hearing in a damages suit brought by cosmetics company A against Kim and his agency, Gold Medalist, seeking 2.8 billion KRW (approximately 2.1 million USD) in compensation.
A argued that even if the relationship is said to have begun after the other party turned 18, it should be viewed as a continuation of a bond that started when she was a minor.
Kim’s legal team countered that the relationship began only after the other party reached adulthood and that unverified rumors cannot justify terminating a contract. They added it is difficult to see how a consensual relationship between adults would constitute a breach of the duty to maintain public dignity.
A told the court that the controversy involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron amounted to a violation of Kim’s contractual obligation to preserve dignity, making it impossible to continue the endorsement deal; the contract was for one year and was due to run through August 2025.
Kim’s camp reiterated that there was no breach of the social duty to maintain dignity that would justify ending the contract. They insisted the agreement did not terminate because of the defendant’s fault and that there is no basis for awarding damages.
