Kim Soo Hyun to resume activities with a fashion brand commercial shoot after a one-year hiatus

08 Jun 2026, 02:42 by Alec06 · allkpop

Actor Kim Soo Hyun is set to resume his promotional activities starting with a commercial shoot, marking his first official schedule after a year-long hiatus and legal battle.

According to a News1 report on June 8, Kim Soo Hyun will participate in an advertising shoot for the leading Philippine fashion brand, Bench, on July 14.

The fact that his first official schedule is a commercial shoot has drawn significant attention. Since advertising relies heavily on a model's public image to build brand identity, Bench's decision to retain Kim Soo Hyun as their model is viewed as a major turning point.

Kim Soo Hyun's situation shifted dramatically following the recent arrest of Kim Se Ui, the head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, on charges of defamation through the spread of false rumors. Kim Se Ui was arrested on May 26 for repeatedly claiming during YouTube broadcasts and press conferences last year that Kim Soo Hyun had been dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron since she was a minor.

The police concluded that Kim Se Ui used generative AI to manipulate the late actress's voice and fabricated KakaoTalk chat logs presented as evidence of the relationship. The court issued an arrest warrant citing potential destruction of evidence and flight risk, and subsequently dismissed Kim Se Ui's request for a validity review of his detention on June 2.

Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Goldmedalist, released an official statement on June 5 following the police investigation results. The agency stated, "Charges including defamation by stating false facts, stalking, violations of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, and attempted coercion and threats have been recognized. Considering the gravity of the case, the police have forwarded Kim Se Ui to the prosecution under detention."

Attention is now shifting to the ongoing civil lawsuits. The 14th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court will hold the third pleading session on June 10 for a 3.96 billion KRW (approx. 2.9 million USD) damages lawsuit filed by health functional food company FromBio against Kim Soo Hyun and Goldmedalist. This will be the first civil hearing held since Kim Se Ui's arrest, and the criminal investigation results are expected to become a core argument in the proceedings.

Following the allegations, Kim Soo Hyun had halted all activities, which included a complete pause in filming for his upcoming Disney+ series Knock-Off. He is currently facing civil lawsuits totaling over 10 billion KRW (approx. 7.3 million USD) from multiple advertisers, including FromBio, Cuckoo, Trendmaker, Classys, Eider, and Mido. As Kim Soo Hyun jumpstarts his career, industry insiders are watching closely to see if he can successfully navigate the remaining civil legal hurdles.

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