Kim Soo Hyun and others have been ordered to pay health supplement company FromBio approximately 1.16 billion won ($868,000) in damages after a court found them liable for breaching an advertising contract amid a controversy over the actor’s private life.
The Suwon District Court recently ruled partially in favor of FromBio in its damages lawsuit against Kim and others.
The court ordered the defendants to jointly pay FromBio 1.16 billion won, plus interest for late payment. Interest on the principal was set at 5% annually from October 13th, 2021, through November 11th, 2026, and 12% annually from the following day until payment is made in full. FromBio was ordered to cover 70% of the litigation costs, with the defendants responsible for the remaining 30%.
The dispute arose from an advertising model contract. FromBio hired Kim as a brand ambassador in 2024, but later filed a damages lawsuit against him and others on May 16th, 2025, alleging that a controversy over his private life damaged the brand’s image and caused significant losses.
The controversy began after allegations emerged that Kim had been in a relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron when she was still a minor. Kim’s side has categorically denied the allegation, saying the relationship began after Kim Sae Ron became an adult.
The central issue in the trial was whether the controversy constituted a breach of the contract’s “duty to maintain morality” clause. Kim’s side argued that unverified allegations and speculative reporting alone could not establish a breach of contract. However, the court partially upheld the advertiser’s damages claim.
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