Kim Soo Hyun: Brands that have cut ties with actor amid Kim Sae-ron grooming allegations; list includes Prada

According to Chosun, The Queen of Tears actor had been the face of 19 major brands across sectors including luxury fashion, finance, cosmetics, and retail. However, amid growing public backlash, several brands have now severed ties with the actor.

The following brands have officially terminated their contracts with Soo Hyun or removed his promotional materials:

1. Prada
2. Dinto
3. Tous les Jours
4. Homeplus
5. K2 Korea

Luxury brand Prada, which had previously showcased Kim as a global ambassador, was among the first to take action, while beauty brand Dinto, which had partnered with the actor for several years, also announced it was halting all activities involving him. The company’s CEO, Ahn Ji Hye, stated on March 11: "Currently, all planned schedules related to the model are on hold."

Several other brands, including Shinhan Bank, Eider, and Cuckoo, have started erasing his presence from their promotional campaigns. Aekyung Group also quietly removed a Jeju Air campaign featuring him, which was previously targeted at the Asian market. Although the airline has not issued an official statement, sources reportedly suggest this decision was influenced by the controversy surrounding Sae-ron’s passing.

The fallout has not been limited to brands. Fans have also turned against the actor, with one of his largest fan accounts—boasting 460,000 followers—publicly withdrawing support on March 11. His Instagram followers have dropped by almost 1 milllion from 21.26 million to 20.3 million, as users continue to unfollow him in protest.

His latest social media posts have been bombarded with critical comments, and footage of businesses removing and discarding his promotional materials has gone viral. In one trending post on TheQoo, multiple clips show stores overseas tearing down posters of the actor, signalling the rapid decline of his public image.

These developments come in the wake of serious allegations made by Sae-ron’s family. They claimed that Soo Hyun pursued the late actress despite the significant 12-year age gap, initiating a relationship when she was just 15 years old. Their relationship allegedly lasted six years, from 2015 to 2021.

After their breakup and Sae-ron’s DUI scandal, Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, was accused of attempting to extort money from her. The agency, founded by the actor, reportedly demanded ₩20.0 billion KRW (around $13.7 million USD) in penalty fees, later reducing the amount to ₩700 million KRW ($480,000 USD). In 2024, Gold Medalist allegedly filed a lawsuit against Sae-ron for the amount, despite previous assurances that she would not have to repay it.

Sae-ron passed away in February 2025, with reports surfacing that she took her own life on February 16 - which also happens to be Soo Hyun’s birthday.

So far, Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, have denied all allegations. In a statement released last week, the agency dismissed the claims as "false and defamatory.”

Soo Hyun is expected to release an official statement this week.