SEOUL, September 14 — Actor Kim Soo-hyun, best known for hit K-dramas such as It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Queen of Tears and My Love from the Star, has won a final court ruling clearing him of any obligation to repay Swiss watch brand Mido roughly 577 million won (RM1.81 million) in advertising fees.

The dispute stemmed from Mido’s attempt to end its endorsement contract with Kim over allegations that he had dated a minor.

The Seoul Eastern District Court dismissed Mido’s claims in full in an August 27 ruling, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

The ruling became final after Mido did not appeal by the September 10 deadline.

Mido reportedly signed an advertising contract with Kim in 2020, renewing it annually. 

In November 2024, the brand paid a modelling fee of 900 million won (RM2.7 million) and extended the contract for another year.

The controversy erupted in March 2025, when a YouTuber published purported chat messages suggesting Kim had dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor. 

Kim Sae-ron died in February 2025.

Mido terminated its contract with Kim two months later, in May, and sued to recover about 577 million won (RM1.81 million) – the portion of the fee corresponding to the remaining contract period – arguing the controversy had damaged the model’s commercial value.

Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, countered that he bore no fault that would justify ending the contract, and therefore owed no refund. 

The court accepted that argument last month in dismissing Mido’s claim.

Separately, the Seoul Seongdong police station decided in July not to forward Kim’s case to prosecutors, citing insufficient evidence to support allegations that he violated the Child Welfare Act or made a false accusation in connection with the minor-dating claims.