Prada, Dinto latest brands to ditch actor
By Lee Min-hyung
Several companies are terminating their advertising contracts with actor Kim Soo-hyun as the once-popular star rapidly loses his appeal due to his relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron and allegations they began dating when she was a minor.
Dinto, a Seoul-based cosmetics brand, is the latest to join the bandwagon. The company said on Saturday that it had decided to cancel its advertising contract with Kim, citing its commitment to maintaining customer trust. The contract was originally set to expire in August this year.
“After reviewing the statement issued by his agency yesterday (Friday), we have determined that there are substantial grounds rendering the fulfillment of the advertising contract unfeasible … This decision was made to uphold the values that DINTO stands for and to honor the trust placed in us by our consumers,” it said on its social network platform.
Italian luxury brand Prada also terminated its contract with Kim. The actor had served as the brand’s ambassador since December but was stripped of the position due to the latest controversy.
“It has been mutually decided to end the collaboration between Prada and Kim Soo Hyun,” Prada said Friday in a press statement.
Other brands associated with the scandal-tainted actor are also removing images of Kim from their promotional websites, reportedly due to the negative sentiment surrounding him.
Eider, an outdoor clothing brand, removed Kim’s images from its homepage and social media. Last month, supermarket chain Homeplus extended an advertising contract with the actor but decided not to include him in its upcoming advertising campaign.
Tous Les Jours, a bakery franchise under CJ Foodville, recently announced its decision to terminate its contract with Kim. He worked as a model for the company between 2012 and 2015, and the bakery chain reappointed him as its model in September last year. However, all images of Kim have disappeared from the bakery’s Instagram and other promotional websites.
These decisions come amid escalating public outrage, as Kim and his agency, Gold Medalist, were slow to acknowledge his relationship with the late actress. After multiple photos suggesting they were a couple were revealed, the agency confirmed the relationship on Friday.
The actor is at the center of controversy for remaining silent and not issuing a public apology. The late actress was found dead at her home in Seoul last month at the age of 24, with police suspecting she died by suicide.
Kim Sae-ron signed with Gold Medalist in 2020 and had already parted ways with Kim Soo-hyun when her drunk driving incident occurred in 2022. The agency sent a content-certified letter to her in March 2024 demanding the repayment of 700 million won.
Late actor Kim Sae-ron / Yonhap
However, some brands have not severed ties with Kim immediately, as nothing specific has been confirmed legally, according to industry officials.
“Some of them seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach on how the situation will develop,” an official from a major conglomerate here said.
“Details over the advertising contract with a celebrity differ from each company, so they will opt to minimize their financial loss by reducing any unexpected risks for the time being.”
