Full List of Brands That Dropped Kim Soo-hyun—And Why the Korean Actor Is Facing Backlash

One of South Korea's most beloved and highest-paid actors, Kim Soo hyun, is currently at the centre of a scandal that has rocked his career and public image. Soo- hyun, widely celebrated for his roles in hit shows like My Love From the Star and It's Okay Not to Be Okay, is facing a public outage with many major brands breaking ties with him.

The controversy erupted after allegations emerged about a past dating history with actress Kim Sae-ron when she was just 15 years old, while he was 27. Sae-ron, who died by suicide last month, was allegedly involved with Soo-hyun at a very young age and reportedly owed him a big amount of money.

In response to the growing backlash and decline in his fan following, multiple brands associated with Soo-hyun have cut ties or are swiftly taking one step backwards with him.

List of Brands Who Dropped Kim Soo-hyun

Kim Soo-hyun, 37, has been the face of more than 18 major brands from various sectors, including luxury fashion, cosmetics, finance and retail. However, following the public outrage against him after the allegations, several high-profile brands have ended their partnerships with him.

Among the first to act was Prada, the luxury fashion brand that had showcased Kim as its global ambassador. According to reports, during a client chat, the company revealed that Prada had terminated its contract with the actor. A report published by a Korean publication said Prada released a statement saying, '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.'

Shortly after Prada, Dinto, a vegan beauty brand that had worked with the actor for several years, also announced halting all Soo-hyun activities. Company's CEO Ahn Ji Hye said in a statement on 11 March, 'Currently, all planned schedules related to the model are on hold.'

Following the suit, Tous les Jours, which is a South Korean bakery franchise owned by CJ Foodville, also decided to maintain distance from the actor. According to the company, they will not be renewing their model contract with Kim Soo-hyun, which expires this month.

K2 Korea, a South Korean athleisure group, has also removed ads featuring the actor in the company's clothes from its official website and social media pages.

Other brands, such as Shinhan Bank, Eider, Aekyung Group, and Cuckoo, have swiftly moved toward cutting ties with the actor by removing his presence from places like ads and social media.

Social Media Backlash

Beyond the brands, Kim Soo-hyun, is also facing severe criticism from his fans. His Instagram following, once over 21 million, dropped by almost one million as many followers unfollowed him in protest. His social media posts have been flooded with critical comments, and footage showing businesses removing his promotional materials has gone viral.

Kim Sae-ron's family alleged that Kim Soo-hyun pursued a relationship with the actress when she was just 15 years old while he was 27. This has sparked a wider debate amongst the public, with many accusing the actor of taking advantage of Sae-ron's young age.

Further complicating the controversy, another allegation against the actor is the claim that Kim Soo-hyun's agency, GoldMedalist, attempted to extort money from Kim Sae-ron after their breakup. After Kim Sae-ron passed away in February 2025, reports suggesting that she died by suicide under the pressure of owing Kim Soo-hyun money also started gaining momentum.

Will Kim Soo-hyun's Career Survive the Backlash?

With the ongoing backlash, many wonder whether Kim Soo-hyun's career can recover from this scandal. The swift action from brands and the overwhelming reaction on social media suggest that the damage to his reputation is significant.

Once the series of personal photos of Soo-hyun and Sae-ron leaked online, showing them up close with each other, the actors' agency released a statement on 14 March confirming that there was indeed a relationship. The statement said, 'Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were dating between the summer of 2019 and fall of 2020 after she became an adult. It is not true that Kim Soo Hyun dated her when she was a minor.'

With new developments every day, and that too not in favour of Soo-Hyun, it's evident that the situation has become really intense for the actor. The answer to whether he can recover from this controversy depends not only on his legal standing but also on how he publicly addresses the allegations.