Kim Soo Hyun is embroiled in controversy following revelations about his relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-Ron.
According to reports from the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, which released a phone conversation with Sae-Ron’s aunt, the two were allegedly in a secret relationship since 2015, when Sae-Ron was only 15 years old and Kim Soo Hyun was 27.
In response to the controversy, luxury brand Prada terminated its ambassador relationship with Kim Soo Hyun on March 14. In their statement, Prada explained: “We would like to inform you that after considering the severity of the issue, our collaboration with Kim Soo Hyun has been mutually concluded. The contract has been terminated. The decision came from headquarters.”
The production team of the Korean drama Good Day is the latest one to take action against the actor. The team announced their decision to remove scenes featuring Kim Soo Hyun from the show.
They released a detailed statement apologising to viewers for the sudden changes and explaining the technical challenges involved.
According to their statement, Episode 5 was edited urgently to remove Kim Soo Hyun’s footage from the Good Day General Assembly segment, resulting in an episode approximately 10 minutes shorter than usual with some narrative gaps.
The production team explained that pre-production requirements for translation meant that episodes were completed two weeks before airing, which complicated their response to the developing situation.
The statement also addressed a March 13 recording session that proceeded despite the controversy. The production team explained they had been waiting for an official statement from Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, which informed them that their statement would be released the following week and that securing the actor’s schedule after that date would be difficult.
The team ultimately conducted the recording with “careful consideration,” minimising interaction with other cast members and preparing for the possibility of editing the footage.
For future episodes, the production team has decided to edit out Kim Soo Hyun’s appearances as much as possible and the individual recording session from March 13 will not be aired. They expressed concern that the controversy could damage the show’s reputation and the sincerity of other cast members.
Beyond Prada and Good Day, other brands are reportedly reassessing their relationships with the actor. Vegan beauty brand Dinto has suspended all promotional activities featuring Kim Soo Hyun, and bakery chain Tous les Jours has removed advertisements featuring him from their social media accounts as of March 12.
Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, initially denied romantic involvement between the actor and Kim Sae-Ron but later confirmed, though they claimed the relationship began only after Sae-Ron turned 19, the legal age in Korea. The agency also acknowledged that Soo Hyun had been “guiding” Sae-Ron since she was 15.
Reports suggest that Kim Sae-Ron, whose career suffered significantly following a 2022 DUI incident where she crashed into public property while intoxicated, faced substantial financial pressure afterwards.
She reportedly accumulated a 700 million won debt following the DUI case, which Kim Soo Hyun’s agency allegedly pressured her to repay, threatening legal action when she requested more time.
The agency also reportedly prevented assistance from her The Man from Nowhere co-star Won Bin, who had offered to help with the debt.
Kim Sae-Ron died on Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday this year.
