This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.



When Kim Soo-hyun faced dating rumors with the late actor Kim Sae-ron - allegedly when she was a minor - earlier this year, the incident seemed to derail the 37-year-old actor's career once and for all, not to mention the irreparable blow it dealt to his pristine reputation.

Numerous projects and events were either canceled or pushed back indefinitely, including Disney+'s series "Knock-Off," which was expected to be one of the platform's most anticipated releases of the year. The series was originally scheduled to premiere in May, and there was no mention of the project whatsoever at Disney+'s recent press event, where next year's lineup of Korean releases was unveiled.

Project delays are just one part of the crisis. Kim Soo-hyun is also facing a slew of damages lawsuits totaling more than 10 billion won ($6.8 million), filed by various companies that had signed him for advertising deals. Nearly nine months on, both his career and reputation remain in limbo.

But Kim Soo-hyun is not staying silent. Through legal counsel, he is firmly denying allegations that he dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.

The first of what is expected to be a series of damages suits from companies has now begun - and it wasn't an immediate loss for the actor. A Seoul court has recently ordered Cuckoo Electronics and its affiliates, which filed a 2 billion won lawsuit against Kim Soo-hyun, to provide a clearer legal basis for their claim.

What are the latest updates to Kim Soo-hyun's legal battles and how might they affect him? And most importantly, will we see him on screen again?



As the first of many legal disputes Kim Soo-hyun and his agency are set to face, the lawsuit filed by Cuckoo Electronics is one to watch closely, as it could set the tone for the actor's other pending damages suits and may offer an early indication of how his career could unfold.

Earlier this year, Cuckoo Electronics ended its decade-long partnership with Kim Soo-hyun, suspended its advertisements featuring him and filed a lawsuit after he faced major public backlash over speculation about the timing of his relationship with Kim Sae-ron.

After more than half a year, the case's first hearing took place on Nov. 14. While the court requested that the plaintiffs specify what actions by Kim Soo-hyun justified the contract termination, it also further questioned whether the plaintiffs intended to proceed with the civil case before any related criminal investigation concludes, including whether Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with the late actor when she was a minor - a fact that would need to be established for the allegations to hold in court.

Kim Soo-hyun's side agreed with the court's request for more detail, stating that Cuckoo Electronics did not clarify "what specific action [of Kim's] violated the contract with the company." They added that the company seemed to cite the inadequate response of Kim Soo-hyun's side after the accusations were raised as a contract violation and asked Cuckoo to specify "which aspects of the response were inadequate."

However, Cuckoo Electronics argued that the contract termination was not solely due to Kim Soo-hyun's damaged reputation from the allegations. They added, "As we also claim a breakdown of trust as grounds for termination, we do not believe that the civil lawsuit should wait until the related criminal case is resolved."



The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2026.

Based on the court's request, a key issue for Kim Soo-hyun's remaining damages suits is that he is currently only facing allegations - not legal convictions - of grooming or engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor. Until proven in court, he is legally cleared of charges.

This suggests that companies cannot rely solely on Kim Soo-hyun's unproven allegations as grounds for terminating contracts, as the court noted that decisions must rely on confirmed facts.

So, depending on how Cuckoo pr...