Brands pull Kim Soo-hyun ads amid the late Kim Sae-ron allegations

Bakery chain Tous les Jours deleted ads with Kim Soo-hyun from their social media pages on Wednesday. The actor had been working with Tous les Jours since September of last year, a decade after he modeled for the chain from 2012 to 2015.

With the contract ending this month, Tous les Jours is considering “not renewing” its deal with the actor. The nonrenewal had been floated even before the controversy struck, a spokesperson said.

An ad with Kim Soo-hyun was removed from Homeplus’s mobile app’s loading page, but it was because of a change in CI to prepare for an upcoming marketing campaign, the supermarket chain’s spokesperson said, adding that his contract remains intact.

Athleisure group K2 Korea also pulled ads of the actor in the company’s clothes from its official website and Instagram pages.

The controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun has placed the more than one dozen brands he is contracted with, such as Shinhan Bank, Prada and appliance brand Cuckoo, in a precarious situation as they potentially face backlash from consumers.

The CEO of cosmetics manufacturer Dinto issued an apology after being criticized for her initial defense of the actor.

CEO Ahn Ji-hye said on her personal social media page early Tuesday that she would “trust and wait for” Kim Soo-hyun, who models Dinto’s products. After angry users shared the post, many hinting at a boycott, Ahn said later that day that she was monitoring the situation and that “all model-related schedules had been put on hold.”

Police Ruled Kim Sae-ron’s Death as a Suicide

Kim Sae-ron, star of “The Man from Nowhere” (2010) and “A Girl at My Door” (2014), was found dead at her home in February. Police ruled her death as a suicide. She was 24.

The late actor’s family alleged through YouTube channel Hoverlab that Kim Soo-hyun entered a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was 15, and of Gold Medalist sending a letter meant to pressure her to pay back 700 million won ($481,500). The two actors had at one time both signed with Gold Medalist, an agency founded by Kim Soo-hyun.

Kim Soo-hyun’s agency denied the allegations and promised to invoke the “strongest possible legal action” against Hoverlab. Gold Medalist will issue an official statement with evidence refuting the rumors next week, the agency said Thursday.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2229-4900 to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. 

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]