On 27 August 2026, the Seoul Eastern District Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Swiss watchmaker Mido seeking the return of 570 million won under an advertising contract with Kim Soo Hyun.

The ruling marks the first stage of the legal proceedings, with a possible appeal to follow.

Mido had collaborated with Kim Soo Hyun as an advertising model since 2020, renewing the contract annually. In November 2024, Mido paid 900 million won to extend the agreement for another year.

In early March, a scandal erupted surrounding Kim Soo Hyun's relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron.

All news about the scandal surrounding Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron

Mido moved to terminate the contract unilaterally, arguing that the reputational damage had seriously undermined the actor's commercial value.

With the contract cut short, Mido demanded the return of a portion of the fee proportionate to the remaining contract period — amounting to 570 million won.

Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, refused to repay the money, maintaining that there were no grounds for doing so, as all accusations against the actor were false and fabricated by the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute and its operator, Kim Seui. The agency also stressed that Kim Soo Hyun had not breached any terms of the contract.

The court found that Mido lacked sufficient grounds for termination and that the scandal had been based on unreliable information. Kim Soo Hyun was not found to have committed any acts that would justify the cancellation of the advertising agreement.

Separate legal proceedings are currently under way involving claims from advertisers including Cuckoo Electronics, Classys, FromBio, Eider and Trendmaker. The total amount in question is estimated at around 10 billion won.

The outcome of the case against Mido could set a precedent and is likely to indicate that other similar lawsuits may be decided along the same lines.

Meanwhile, the defamation case against Kim Seui, the main defendant, has been transferred from a single judge to a panel of judges. The decision was made on 25 August. Earlier, Kim Seui's legal team had requested that the case be heard by a jury trial. No decision has yet been made on that motion. However, the court has instead ruled that the case will be heard by a collegial panel.

A collegial panel consists of three judges instead of one. Such panels are typically assigned to complex cases with significant legal implications or substantial public interest. Decisions are made by a majority vote. It is generally considered that three judges are less susceptible to emotional influence or public opinion.

Neither side had filed a motion for a collegial panel; the decision was made by the court independently.

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Sources 1, 2, 3