Actor Kim Soo-hyun is resuming official activities after about a year. On the 8th, his agency Gold Medalist announced that Kim Soo-hyun is scheduled to participate in a commercial shoot for the Philippine fashion brand Bench on July 14. This is the first official schedule since he suspended his entertainment activities last year amid allegations involving the late Kim Sae-ron.

Kim Soo-hyun halted all entertainment activities last year after rumors spread that he had dated the late Kim Sae-ron when they were minors. At that time, production of the Disney+ original series Knock Off, in which he played the lead role, was suspended, and contracts with numerous advertisers were affected. Several brands including Frombio, Cuckoo Electronics, Trendmaker, Classys, Eider, and Mido filed lawsuits seeking damages totaling around 10 billion KRW.

This situation originated from allegations raised by Kim Se-ui, the head of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, through broadcasts and press conferences regarding the relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron. Investigative authorities concluded that Kim Se-ui spread false information, manipulated the deceased’s voice using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and fabricated KakaoTalk chat rooms as evidence of their relationship. Consequently, the court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui due to concerns over flight risk and evidence tampering, and the detention review was also dismissed. Kim Se-ui was transferred to the prosecution on charges including defamation, violation of the Stalking Punishment Act, violation of the Sexual Violence Crime Punishment Act, attempted coercion, and threats.

Kim Soo-hyun’s legal representative, lawyer Ko Sang-rok, stated in a broadcast interview that the actor’s return to daily life is the top priority and that the agency is carefully considering plans for his comeback.

Meanwhile, civil lawsuits against Kim Soo-hyun are ongoing. On the 10th, the 14th Civil Division of Suwon District Court is scheduled to hold the third hearing for a damages claim lawsuit worth 3.96 billion KRW filed by the health supplement company Frombio against Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist.