After controversy, Kim Soo-hyun resumes career with PH brand shoot — reports

South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun is reportedly shooting an ad for a Philippine brand next month, marking his first public activity after his controversy involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

According to media outlets The Korea Times and Soompi on Monday, June 8, Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, confirmed the schedule, saying the actor is set to film a commercial for a Philippine fashion brand. 

“Kim Soo Hyun will participate in a print advertisement shoot for the leading Philippine fashion brand Bench on July 14,” read his label’s statement. 

It did not state if the shoot will take place in the Philippines or Korea.

The appearance will be Soo-hyun’s first official activity in about a year following allegations surrounding his supposed past relationship with Sae-ron. 

In March last year, Soo-hyun faced accusations that he dated Sae-ron for six years beginning in 2015, when she was still a minor. He was also accused of pressuring the actress over debt repayment. 

READ: Kim Soo-hyun’s agency says truth finally proven after YouTuber’s arrest

Soo-hyun denied the allegations during a press conference, maintaining that their relationship only began after Sae-ron had already reached adulthood. 

Sae-ron died by suicide in February 2025, on the actor’s birthday.

Due to the controversy, multiple brands reportedly ended their contracts with Soo-hyun, including the Disney+ series “Knock-Off,” which was originally scheduled for release last year but is now placed on indefinite hold. 

The police investigations earlier concluded that KakaoTalk messages and audio recordings supposedly between Soo-hyun and Sae-ron, presented by the YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, had been manipulated or edited. 

YouTuber Kim Se Eui was later referred to prosecutors on charges that included spreading false information about Soo-hyun.

Meanwhile, Soo-hyun rose to global fame through hit Korean dramas, including “My Love from the Star,” “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” and “Queen of Tears.”

The actor last visited the Philippines in June 2022 for his fan meeting “One Extraordinary Day,” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. /edv