Actor Kim Soo-hyun Wins KRW 577 Million Contract Fee Lawsuit Against "Mido"

Goldmedalist, the agency representing actor Kim Soo-hyun, has won a lawsuit filed by the Swiss watch brand "Mido" demanding the return of KRW 577 million in advertising contract fees.

Actor Kim Soo-hyun, who had remained silent about the recent privacy controversy, is announcing his position at Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul on March 31, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

According to the legal community on September 11, the Seoul Eastern District Court’s Civil Settlement Division 13 (presiding judge Choi Sujin) on August 27 dismissed in full Mido's claim in the first trial of the lawsuit for the return of the contract fee filed against Goldmedalist and others. As Mido did not file an appeal by the deadline, the ruling was finalized.

Mido had maintained an advertising model contract with Kim Soo-hyun since 2020, but in March last year, following allegations that Kim was dating a minor, the company terminated the contract in May 2025.

Subsequently, claiming that the model's commercial value had been damaged, Mido filed a lawsuit demanding the return of the KRW 577 million contract fee for the remaining contract period.

Goldmedalist argued that there was no attributable fault on Kim Soo-hyun's part in the controversy and that there was thus no basis for holding him liable for the contract termination, a stance also accepted by the court.

In July 2026, the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul decided not to refer the case to prosecutors, citing insufficient evidence regarding allegations of Kim Soo-hyun’s violation of the Child Welfare Act and false accusations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.