(MHN Sports, Reporter Lee Yoon-bi) – Following Kim Soo-hyun’s agency’s strong denial of allegations regarding a past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was underage, the advertising industry, which had been quick to distance itself from the actor, may now reconsider its stance.

On March 14, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, stated, "Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after she became an adult. The claim that they dated while she was underage is completely false."

Explosive Allegations and Immediate Denial

Earlier, on March 10, the controversial YouTube channel "Garo Sero Institute" claimed, citing a family member of Kim Sae-ron, that she and Kim Soo-hyun had been in a six-year relationship starting from when she was a minor. The channel also alleged that when Kim Sae-ron was involved in a drunk driving incident, Gold Medalist demanded a penalty fee of 700 million KRW.

Gold Medalist swiftly refuted these allegations, issuing a statement calling them "blatant falsehoods." However, Garo Sero Institute responded by releasing additional materials, including a photo of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron kissing on the cheek, a letter he allegedly sent her during his military service, and text messages related to the 700-million-KRW lawsuit.

Gold Medalist’s Swift Response

As the controversy intensified, Gold Medalist initially announced that it would issue a response next week, stating, "We will clarify the facts based on solid evidence and address these baseless rumors." However, the agency released its statement earlier than expected.

Explaining the urgency, Gold Medalist stated, "Since the Garo Sero broadcast, Kim Soo-hyun has been struggling with extreme distress due to claims that he is responsible for the sudden passing of Kim Sae-ron. Given the severity of the situation, we decided to urgently clarify the key issues."

Advertisers’ Response: Will They Reverse Course?

With the agency’s firm denial, attention now turns to whether advertisers that had begun severing ties with Kim Soo-hyun will reconsider their decisions.

On March 13, CJ Foodville, which operates the bakery chain Tous Les Jours, announced it would not be renewing its contract with Kim Soo-hyun, set to expire at the end of this month. Previously, the company had actively promoted ads featuring the actor, but all traces of him have since been removed from its social media platforms.

Other companies whose contracts were nearing expiration have also decided not to renew, while brands still under contract have begun taking down advertisements featuring Kim Soo-hyun.

For example, Homeplus, which reappointed Kim Soo-hyun as its model for its 28th anniversary campaign in February, removed his images from its website and mobile app. Recently, a photo surfaced showing Homeplus staff taking down a large banner featuring the actor at a retail location. Despite previously stating, "We are carefully monitoring the situation as no objective facts have been confirmed yet," the company appears to be gradually distancing itself from the actor in response to growing public scrutiny.

LG Household & Health Care has removed a decade-old advertisement featuring Kim Soo-hyun, while outdoor brand Eider has erased his promotional materials from its website and social media, leaving only photos of IVE’s Jang Wonyoung, who was featured in the same campaign.

Additionally, hot pot chain Shabu All Day has made all related content featuring Kim Soo-hyun private on its social media, and vegan cosmetics brand Dinto has indefinitely suspended all promotional activities involving him.

Kim Soo-hyun remains a brand ambassador for more than ten companies, including Shinhan Bank, Cuckoo, Prada, and Jo Malone, raising questions about how these partnerships will unfold in light of the ongoing controversy.

Impact Beyond Advertising: Entertainment Industry Also Takes Action

The backlash is not limited to advertising. Disney+’s upcoming original series Knock-Off, which stars Kim Soo-hyun, has been caught in the storm, while MBC’s variety show Good Day, in which he appeared, is reportedly considering editing his segments.

As Gold Medalist’s firm response attempts to quell the controversy, the industry is now watching closely to see whether this will be enough to halt the trend of distancing from the actor.

Images: MHN Sports DB, YouTube "Garo Sero Institute," Kim Soo-hyun’s SNS, Eider, Homeplus, Shinhan Bank, Shabu All Day