An advertiser who sued actor Kim Soo Hyun for damages significantly reduced his claim after Kim Se Ui, head of the Garosero Research Institute, was arrested on charges of spreading false information about the actor. The court has now recommended that the advertiser withdraw the lawsuit entirely.
On July 8, the 45 Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court held the second hearing in outdoor brand Eider’s damages lawsuit against Kim Soo Hyun and her agency, Medaglia d’Oro. Eider had named Kim as an advertising model last year, but filed a lawsuit in August 2025 after allegations surfaced that he had dated the late actress Kim Sae Ron while she was still a minor, claiming the controversy had damaged the company’s brand image.
During the hearing, Eider withdrew his original request for compensation for reputational damage and reduced the amount requested from approximately ₩2.5 billion to approximately ₩400 million. The company said it would only ask for the return of the remaining model fees under the sponsorship contract.
However, the court indicated that Eider appeared to have changed his legal strategy after concluding that his original damages claim would likely be difficult to prove. The judges also questioned whether the revised request would also be legally sustainable.
The court further noted that both Eider and the defendants, Kim Soo Hyun and Gold Medalist, had suffered damages as a result of the allegations raised by Kim Se Ui. Taking into account that Kim Soo Hyun’s side would be negotiating with other advertisers, the court recommended that Eider consider withdrawing the lawsuit, maintaining the endorsement agreement, and allowing each party to bear its own legal costs.
This hearing marks the first case in which an advertiser has withdrawn a multibillion-dollar compensation claim against Kim Soo Hyun following Kim Se Ui’s arrest, instead limiting its claim to the return of model contract fees. The development has drawn attention to the possibility that it could influence similar lawsuits brought by other advertisers.
Kim Soo Hyun is currently facing lawsuits for damages totaling approximately ₩10 billion from several companies, including Eider, FromBIO, Classys, Cuckoo Electronics, and Trendmaker.
Since March last year, Kim Se Ui has repeatedly claimed through YouTube broadcasts and other platforms that Kim Soo Hyun had a relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor and was responsible for her death. Representing Kim Sae Ron’s family, he also held press conferences where he released what he claimed were voice recordings of the actress and KakaoTalk conversations between her and Kim Soo Hyun.
Investigators later concluded that the alleged voice recordings had been fabricated using generative artificial intelligence (AI) and that the KakaoTalk messages had also been manipulated.
As a result, police requested an arrest warrant for Kim Se Ui on May 14 on charges that included defamation through dissemination of false information under the Information and Communication Networks Law, violations of the Anti-Stalking Law, illegal distribution of recorded material under the Sexual Violence Punishment Law, intimidation, and attempted coercion. The court approved the warrant after determining there was a risk of destruction of evidence and escape, and Kim Se Ui was formally charged while in custody on June 23.
Following Kim Se Ui’s arrest, the gold medalist released an official statement expressing gratitude to those who continued to support Kim Soo Hyun while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The agency said “Although we were not directly involved in the case, we sincerely thank everyone who continued to speak out on behalf of Kim Soo Hyun while waiting for the legal process to unfold. We also appreciate those who worked diligently to uncover the truth and everyone who helped ensure that the facts regarding this case became widely known.”
The third hearing in Eider’s damages lawsuit against Kim Soo Hyun and the gold medalist is scheduled for August 26.
Sources: Nate
