Actor Kim Soo-hyun is facing increasing legal pressure as 16 companies have filed, or are preparing to file, lawsuits totaling ₩7.34 billion ($5.3 million) over damage to his image in the ongoing scandal involving actress Kim Sae-ron and YouTuber Kim Se-ui.
According to a report from New Daily on Tuesday, companies including Cuckoo Electronics, Frombio, and Trendmaker are seeking financial compensation for contract breaches and reputational harm.
Cuckoo Electronics alone is demanding ₩2.88 billion in damages, while Frombio is claiming ₩3.96 billion and Trendmaker ₩510 million.
The complaints arose from unsubstantiated claims made by Kim Se-ui, the owner of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, who implied that Kim Soo-Hyun was having an inappropriate relationship with Kim Sae-Ron when she was still a minor.
Kim Sae-Ron was quick to deny the allegations made by the netizen Handy Began to Guilty Pleasure, although the damage to her reputation and brand value had already been done.
"This case isn't about guilt or innocence anymore—it's about reputational risk," said a marketing executive from one of the brands seeking damages. "Our trust in Kim Soo-hyun as a brand ambassador has been compromised."
Kim Soo-hyun's attorney, Bang Sung-hoon of LKB & Partners, denounced the lawsuits, calling them "secondary victimization" and reaffirming the actor's innocence. "What Garo Sero is claiming is false, and it's becoming increasingly clear that Kim Soo-hyun is the actual victim here," Bang said.
"We deeply regret that advertisers are jumping to conclusions without verified facts."
Earlier this month, a Seoul court approved a pre-trial asset freeze of ₩3 billion on Kim Soo-hyun's property at the request of a medical device company involved in the dispute.
Bang stated that Kim's legal team is actively working to hold Garo Sero and Kim Se-ui accountable. "We are pushing forward with legal proceedings to uncover the truth. As the investigation progresses, the real culprit will be revealed, and these civil claims will be properly addressed."
The controversy has sparked national debate over the power of online influencers and the vulnerability of public figures to reputational damage from unverified claims.
Critics say the lawsuits reflect a troubling trend in which celebrities are dropped or penalized based on social media outrage rather than due process.
Kim Soo-hyun, one of Korea's highest-paid actors, had endorsement deals with 16 brands at the height of his commercial popularity.
Many of those companies have now distanced themselves, citing "contractual image clauses" and the risk of "irreparable public backlash."
As legal battles intensify on multiple fronts—including criminal, civil, and reputational—the case may set a precedent for how Korea's entertainment industry responds to scandal in the digital age.
