Actor Kim Soo-hyun completely denied the grooming allegations against the late Kim Sae-ron in a press conference, while the advertising industry continues to sever ties.
On the 1st, global beauty brand Y.O.U BEAUTY GLOBAL announced the termination of its partnership with Kim Soo-hyun.
Earlier, Y.O.U BEAUTY appointed Kim Soo-hyun as a beauty ambassador in 2022. At that time, Y.O.U BEAUTY described Kim Soo-hyun as "one of the most successful actors in Korea" and stated, "We believe he can inspire everyone to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals with a positive and confident attitude."
However, as controversies regarding Kim Soo-hyun's personal life arose, Y.O.U BEAUTY released a statement regarding its partnership with Kim Soo-hyun through their official account.
Y.O.U BEAUTY explained, "Y.O.U has always stood by the side of all YOUniquers and prioritized the well-being and benefits of all women. We encourage women to step into a new confidence and shining life without fear, and will not tolerate any actions that undermine our brand values."
They added, "After careful consideration, we have decided to terminate our partnership with Kim Soo-hyun. Additionally, we are taking immediate action to delete any materials related to Kim Soo-hyun at the strong request of YOUniquer and will take all possible legal actions if necessary." In fact, Y.O.U BEAUTY has deleted all photos and posts of Kim Soo-hyun that were uploaded on their account.
Meanwhile, the family of the late Kim Sae-ron claimed through the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as Gaseyeon) that Kim Sae-ron had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun for six years starting from 2015 when she was a minor. They also demanded compensation of 700 million won for damages caused by drunk driving crimes, sending two written statements of demand, claiming Kim Soo-hyun turned a blind eye to the issue. They caused an uproar by releasing photos and videos of alleged skinship with Kim Soo-hyun taken when Kim Sae-ron was a minor, as well as letters and messages exchanged, demanding an apology and acknowledgment from Kim Soo-hyun.
In this context, Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference on the 31st and tearfully clarified, "The deceased and I briefly dated about a year before 'Queen of Tears' aired four years ago," and "I did not date the deceased during her minor years." He also refuted claims regarding the messages exchanged with the late Kim Sae-ron, stating, "The individuals conversing in the KakaoTalk messages from 2016 and 2018 are different people."
Furthermore, Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative, attorney Kim Jong-bok from the law firm LK Partners, noted, "Today, we filed a complaint against the family members and a person who claimed to be an aunt, as well as the operator of Gaseyeon, for defamation and violation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. Additionally, we have also submitted a lawsuit for a damages claim of 12 billion won today at the Seoul Central District Court."
[Photo] OSEN DB, Y.O.U BEAUTY
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