KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun is back in front of the cameras after a 16-month break, with the actor making his first official appearance since a controversy that sent his career into a storm.
The Queen of Tears star recently filmed a commercial and completed a promotional photo shoot for Filipino fashion brand Bench, according to his agency Gold Medalist.
The return marks Kim’s first official work since he stepped away from public activities in March last year following allegations that he had dated fellow actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.
Kim’s agency has consistently denied the claims, saying the two were only in a relationship after Kim Sae-ron became an adult.
The controversy led several brands to cut ties with the actor, while Disney+ series Knock-Off, which stars Kim in the lead role, had its release postponed indefinitely.
The actor later filed a criminal complaint against YouTuber Kim Se-ui, the operator of channel HoverLab, accusing him of spreading false information and defamation.
The case took another turn when police concluded in May that allegations that Kim had dated the late actor while she was a minor were false and partly based on AI-generated material.
Meanwhile, Kim is still facing legal battles linked to advertising contracts, with several brands seeking damages over the fallout from the controversy.
A Seoul Central District Court hearing on July 8 reportedly saw the court recommend a settlement in a lawsuit filed by outdoor apparel brand Eider against Kim and his agency.
Eider had initially sought about 2.5 billion won (about US$1.67 million or RM7.1 million) in damages over alleged harm to its brand image, before reducing the claim to about 400 million won (about US$267,000 or RM1.14 million).
The revised claim reportedly focuses on the return of remaining modelling fees paid under the endorsement contract rather than damages linked to the controversy.
Despite the ongoing disputes, Kim’s latest work signals his first step back into the entertainment spotlight after one of South Korea’s biggest celebrity controversies in recent years.
