Prada and other brands have ended their relationships with South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun. This comes amidst controversy surrounding his alleged relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron, who died in February.
The 37-year-old actor gained popularity in South Korea and China through his roles in “My Love from the Star” and “Queen of Tears.” A YouTube expose accused him of dating Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. The expose cited testimonies from the actress’ relatives.
When questioned in a client service chat on Monday, Prada said they “mutually decided to end its collaboration with Kim.” They did not elaborate.
Dinto, a South Korean cosmetic brand, also announced they were ending their advertising contract with Kim.
The company stated on Saturday, “We have determined that there are substantial grounds rendering the fulfilment of the advertising contract unfeasible.”
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Goldmedalist, referred to a Friday statement. They denied claims of a relationship dating back to 2015, when Kim Sae-ron was a minor. Goldmedalist also managed her, but they did not renew her contract in 2022, the same year as her drunk driving incident.
Goldmedalist also stated Kim Soo-hyun “had been unfairly linked to Kim Sae-ron’s death.”
Kim Sae-ron, 24, was found dead at her home. Her career suffered after the drunk driving incident. Local media reported she was in debt and working part-time jobs.
Goldmedalist stated that “the actress owed the company around 0.7 billion won ($483,759.50) in damages and penalties as a result of the drunk driving case.”
In 2024, Kim Sae-ron posted and quickly deleted a photo of herself with Kim Soo-hyun. This prompted speculation about a romantic relationship.
A lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron’s relatives said in a media briefing on Monday that “the late actress had decided to post the photo in hopes of hearing back from Kim Soo-hyun.”
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