Kim Soo-hyun Reportedly Faces Potential Lawsuit in Taiwan Over ₩6 Billion in Damages

Actor Kim Soo-hyun (37) is reportedly facing the risk of a massive lawsuit from 7-Eleven Taiwan.

According to Taiwan’s Sanli News Network and other local outlets on the 17th (local time), 7-Eleven Taiwan is currently considering filing a damages claim against Kim Soo-hyun, estimated at NT$130 million—roughly ₩6 billion KRW.

Kim had been scheduled to appear as a brand ambassador at the Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival in March. However, he canceled the appearance due to ongoing personal controversy. Leading up to the event, 7-Eleven had prepared limited-edition product launches—including fresh food items, coffee cups, and cup sleeves—featuring Kim’s image. They had also announced 200 fans selected to attend his meet-and-greet.

The cancellation reportedly caused an estimated NT$100 million (approx. ₩4.6 billion) in losses due to canceled product releases. Including discarded inventory and advertising losses, the total damage is said to reach NT$130 million (approx. ₩6 billion).

This figure is nearly four times higher than the previously speculated NT$30 million (₩1.3 billion) penalty, and the company reportedly suffered both brand image damage and significant financial loss.

At the time, Kim’s agency Gold Medalist stated that the Taiwan event had not been canceled but merely “postponed for safety reasons.” 7-Eleven has yet to release an official statement. This is, however, not the only legal battle Kim is facing. Last month, he was sued by three Korean companies, with the combined lawsuit value reaching approximately ₩6 billion KRW.

Two companies (referred to as A and B) filed lawsuits against Kim and Gold Medalist at the end of last month, demanding a refund of his model fees and compensation for damages—together totaling ₩3 billion KRW. Another company, referred to as D, filed a separate ₩2.8 billion KRW claim with the Seoul Central District Court on April 25.

Kim Soo-hyun is also facing a storm of allegations involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron (25). He is accused of having been in a relationship with her for six years, starting when she was still a minor. Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on February 16, Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday.

Her family claims the two had dated since 2015, when she was underage, and provided photos, messages, and handwritten letters to the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute as evidence. Disputes also continue over a ₩700 million KRW penalty notice related to Kim Sae-ron’s past drunk driving accident involving Gold Medalist.

At a tearful press conference on March 31, Kim Soo-hyun denied dating her as a minor, stating:

“I never dated her when she was underage. The idea that she made a tragic decision because I ignored her or my agency pressured her over debts is also false.”

He also challenged the authenticity of KakaoTalk messages from 2016 and 2018, which the bereaved family had made public. Kim has since filed civil and criminal suits, including a ₩12 billion KRW defamation lawsuit against the family and figures such as Kim Se-ui. On May 9, he also filed additional complaints for defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

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