Actor Kim Soo-hyun, who is currently facing controversy over his private life, is reportedly being considered for a lawsuit in Taiwan. On the 17th (local time), Taiwanese media such as Sanli News Network reported that Taiwan’s 7-Eleven planned to sue Kim Soo-hyun for damages after canceling a project due to his personal controversy.
The head office of Taiwan 7-Eleven was initially planning to launch various products such as food, coffee, and souvenirs featuring Kim Soo-hyun as the model. However, due to the controversy, production of all these products was halted.
Kim Soo-hyun was also scheduled to participate as a model in a festival in Kaohsiung organized by 7-Eleven in March but ultimately did not attend. According to reports, Taiwan 7-Eleven has calculated its loss at approximately 100 million Taiwan dollars (about 4.6 billion won), with the total loss including wasted materials and advertising losses amounting to 130 million Taiwan dollars (about 6 billion won).
Taiwan 7-Eleven is reportedly considering claiming damages of 130 million Taiwan dollars (60 billion won) from Kim Soo-hyun, citing not only the image damage but also the economic loss following the cancellation of product launches due to his absence from the event post-controversy.
No official statement has yet been released by Taiwan 7-Eleven regarding this matter. Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun has been under scrutiny since March for allegedly dating Kim Sae-ron from 2016, when she was 15 years old, while he was 28, sparking a controversy regarding relationships with minors.
The bereaved family released photos and letters through the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, asserting that the two were in a relationship. They also reportedly filed a lawsuit against Kim Soo-hyun for violating the Child Welfare Act and released a recording claimed to be a conversation the deceased had with an acquaintance.
Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference acknowledging the relationship but denying it was with a minor, and filed a defamation lawsuit against the bereaved family and Garosero Research Institute’s head Kim Se-ui, accusing them of spreading false information.
Prior to the private life allegations with Kim Sae-ron, Kim Soo-hyun was gaining popularity through tvN’s “Queen of Tears” last year, and was active as a model for various industries including outdoor brands, clothing, cosmetics, restaurants, home appliances, and global luxury brands.
Domestically, Kim Soo-hyun is also reportedly facing lawsuits from advertisers. Several companies are said to have filed damage claims against him and Gold Medalist, with the lawsuit amount reportedly reaching 6 billion won.