Actor Kim Soo-hyun has secured a final victory in a lawsuit filed by Swiss watchmaker Mido seeking the return of more than 570 million won ($424,000) in advertising contract fees.
The Seoul Eastern District Court on Aug. 27 dismissed Mido’s lawsuit against Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, which sought the return of advertising fees.
Mido did not appeal the ruling by the Sept. 10 deadline, making the first-instance decision in favor of Kim and the other defendants final.
Mido filed the lawsuit last year after terminating its advertising contract with Kim in May 2025 amid controversy surrounding the actor. The company first signed Kim as an advertising model in December 2020 and renewed the contract annually thereafter. Last year, it sought the return of approximately 577 million won corresponding to the remaining term of the agreement.
With the court dismissing the lawsuit and Mido choosing not to appeal, the case is now closed.
The ruling comes as police in July decided not to refer Kim to prosecutors over allegations that he violated the Child Welfare Act. Kim became embroiled in controversy in March 2025 after allegations emerged that he had been in a relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor.
Kim Sae-ron’s family filed a criminal complaint against Kim in May 2025, accusing him of dating her while she was underage.
Kim’s side acknowledged that the two had been in a relationship but maintained that they began dating after Kim Sae-ron became an adult.
After police decided not to refer the case to prosecutors, Kim has gradually returned to the public eye. He made his first television appearance since the controversy at Indonesian broadcaster RCTI’s anniversary special in August.
Kim is also slated to make his first official public appearance in Korea since the controversy on Sept. 19, when he will serve as a presenter at the 2026 The Fact Music Awards at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.
Meanwhile, the trial of Kim Se-ui, head of YouTube channel HoverLab, who was indicted and detained on charges of spreading false claims about Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, began Friday.
Kim Se-ui is accused of defaming Kim Soo-hyun by claiming that the actor was in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor and that pressure from his side over debt repayment contributed to her death.
The Seoul Central District Court is slated to hold the first preparatory hearing in Kim Se-ui’s case at 3 p.m. Friday. Kim Se-ui faces charges including defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
