Distribution Companies on High Alert Amid Growing Criticism of Kim Soo-hyun
"Some Announce No Contract Renewal"
Brands Remove Kim Soo-hyun's Images and Closely Monitor the Situation
A photo of actors Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron taken together, released by Garosero Research Institute. YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute'
Last month, the late Kim Sae-ron, who passed away, has been embroiled in allegations that she dated actor Kim Soo-hyun since her minor years, causing a ripple effect that extends beyond a simple celebrity scandal to social, moral, and economic issues. Although Kim Soo-hyun's side denied all allegations, news that Kim Sae-ron's mother is expected to directly refute Kim Soo-hyun's position has sparked anticipation of further controversy.
On the 14th, the YouTuber group 'Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon),' which raised the allegations, announced, "Kim Sae-ron's mother will release a statement written by herself." They also emphasized, "If Kim Sae-ron's bereaved family agrees, we will disclose all photos and videos that are incomparable to what has been released so far."
According to Sports Kyunghyang, Kim Sae-ron's mother has been suffering from facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy) due to stress after Kim Sae-ron's death, which has affected her daily life. Despite her health issues, Kim Sae-ron's mother decided to release a statement, apparently because she believes that several points revealed by Gold Medalist on that day were distorted.
A photo of actors Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron taken together, released by Garosero Research Institute. YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute'
Earlier that day, Kim Soo-hyun's agency Gold Medalist explained, "Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult," and "It is not true that he dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor." Regarding Gaseyeon's claim that Kim Soo-hyun's side pressured Kim Sae-ron with a large penalty fee, which led to her death, the agency stated, "Sending a certified letter was an unavoidable procedure to avoid suspicion of breach of duty," and "We never pressured her to repay the debt."
In response, Gaseyeon criticized, "Last year, you said the dating rumors were groundless, but now you admit you dated for two years?" They also said, "You can tell by looking at the face, but it was when she was a minor," adding, "We have many photos. We will release just one. If Kim Soo-hyun does not admit it, we will file a defamation lawsuit. We only want a public apology for the bereaved family."
In particular, Gaseyeon warned, "If (Kim Soo-hyun) continues with lies and excuses, three truly shocking photos and videos will be released." They emphasized, "They are incomparable to the photos released so far." Furthermore, Gaseyeon stated, "Kim Sae-ron herself revealed that she dated Kim Soo-hyun for six years, from November 19, 2015, when she was in the second year of middle school, until July 7, 2021. We will see how long the shameless Kim Soo-hyun will keep lying." Additionally, through video comments, Gaseyeon shocked the public by previewing, "There is a photo of a person washing dishes naked at his girlfriend's house."
Meanwhile, since Kim Soo-hyun became embroiled in these allegations, the distribution industry that hired him as a model has been on high alert. As criticism against Kim Soo-hyun intensifies, the distribution companies that have worked with him are showing a difficult stance regarding future actions. Some brands have announced they will not renew contracts, and brands he previously worked with are taking measures such as removing his photos.
According to CJ Foodville on the 13th, Tous Les Jours is deliberating whether to renew its contract with Kim Soo-hyun, who has been a brand model. All photos and videos related to Kim Soo-hyun have been deleted from Tous Les Jours' official Instagram account. Kim Soo-hyun worked as a model for Tous Les Jours from 2012 to 2015 and was reappointed last September after nine years, continuing his activities. Other distribution companies that selected Kim Soo-hyun as an advertising model are also closely monitoring the situation. Currently, Kim Soo-hyun is active as a model for many famous brands, including LG Household & Health Care, Homeplus, Prada, Beyond, Eider, Cuckoo, and Dinto.
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