Seoul: CJ Foodville Corp., the restaurant division of the prominent food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group, announced the termination of its advertisement contract with actor Kim Soo-hyun due to a dating scandal that has recently surfaced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, CJ Foodville had re-signed Kim Soo-hyun for their bakery chain Tour les Jours in September, marking a reunion after their initial collaboration from 2012 to 2015. A company spokesperson revealed that the original contract was set to expire at the end of this month, but the decision was made not to extend it further.
The controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun involves allegations of a romantic relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage, claims that his agency has denied. Kim Sae-ron, known for her roles in "The Man from Nowhere" and "The Neighbors," passed away last month at the age of 24.
The repercussions of the scandal have also impacted Homeplus Co., another company associated with Kim. Homeplus, which recently hired him as a brand ambassador, finds itself in a challenging situation. A Homeplus spokesperson stated that the recent two-week contract with Kim ended on Wednesday and that the company will assess the situation before deciding on a future contract.
Homeplus had previously engaged Kim Soo-hyun for promotional events three times last year to enhance sales. Kim's agency, Gold Medalist, announced that the actor intends to address the allegations next week, though no further details were provided.