After Prada, DINTO terminates contract with Kim Soo-hyun amid ongoing alleged ex Kim Sae-ron death controversy

After Prada, Korean beauty brand DINTO recently ended a contract with actor Kim Soo-hyun, an actor whose recent tangled matter has drawn a spotlight onto a scandal involving Kim Sae-ron, who sadly passed away. After a lot of public discussion and observation, the company decided the actor could not proceed with this collaboration.

The decision comes after the brand initially expressed its intent to stand by the actor while investigating the matter. But the protests from people grew louder, and they couldn't ignore such a charge any longer and ended up terminating the contract.

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DINTO terminates contract with Kim Soo-hyun amid ongoing alleged ex Kim Sae-ron death controversy

On March 15, 2025, DINTO terminated its contract with Kim Soo-hyun. They say that the absence of words is like gold itself, but people crave a swift move when something’s amiss.

The company announced the termination on Instagram, writing:

"Hello, this is DINTO. DINTO has decided to terminate its advertising model contract with Kim Soo Hyun. Regarding the recent controversy, as a partner in both business relations and contractual agreements, we believed it was appropriate to uphold the principle of good faith.

Therefore, until Kim Soo Hyun and his agency had the opportunity to express their position, it was not feasible for us to issue an official statement or proceed with the immediate termination of the contract. For reference, DINTO’s contract with Kim Soo Hyun was signed for one year and was set to remain valid until August 2025.

They continued,

After reviewing the statement issued by his agency yesterday, we have determined that there are substantial grounds rendering the fulfillment of the advertising contract unfeasible. Accordingly, we are officially proceeding with the termination process through our legal representatives.

They added:

This decision was made to uphold the values that DINTO stands for and to honor the trust placed in us by our consumers. Going forward, we remain committed to making responsible and prudent decisions that align with our brand philosophy and consumer expectations, while also focusing on meaningful projects that create lasting value. Thank you.

Kim Soo-hyun has been removed as a brand ambassador by Prada. This happened after he was linked to the death of actress Kim Sae-ron, who was 24 years old. They were reportedly in a romantic relationship in the past. It is alleged that Soo-hyun started dating Sae-ron when she was 15 and he was 27.

Kim Soo-hyun has been a major figure in numerous industries, representing over 18 major brands across fashion, luxury, retail, cosmetics, and finance. With netizens calling for boycotts of associated brands unless they sever ties with the actor, DINTO's decision may prompt similar actions from other companies that have long benefited from his star power.

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Some of the notable brands linked to Kim Soo-hyun include Prada, Homeplus, Shinhan Financial Group, Estee Lauder Companies, KOSE - DECORTE AQ, YOU Beauty, HEBE Beauty, and Swatch Group’s MIDO. There's a lot of talk in the market about whether it's the smartest thing to cut ties with a super big star when they have big deals and lots of investment involved.