Kim Soo Hyun's property seized, brands seek damages

South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun’s property at Galleria Forêt has recently been seized by the court, legal representative Bang Sung Hoon of LKB & Partners confirmed. 

"However, this seizure is unfair. Kim Soo Hyun is a victim of HOVERLAB. Although the issues lie with the assailants, the arrows are being pointed toward the victim simply because contractual obligations were not met,” he said in a statement.

Cosmetic medical tools company Classys filed a legal request demanding the provisional seizure of Kim Soo Hyun's real estate property worth approximately 3 billion KRW (P124,000,000). The company claims Kim Soo Hyun's side failed to pay the penalties associated with a breach of an advertisement contract. 

Kim Soo Hyun owns two more properties at Galleria Forêt.

Sung Hoon then added, "From the perspective of the advertiser, they paid a model but cannot use the model for advertisement purposes, resulting in financial losses. This is undeniable. But who triggered this situation? It was HOVERLAB. If we can prove through the court proceedings that HOVERLAB made false claims, then Kim Soo Hyun's reputation will be restored and the advertisers will no longer have reason to pursue compensation for damages." 

Meanwhile, South Korean home appliance brand Cuckoo, widely recognized for its reputation in rice cookers, initiated a legal dispute with Soo Hyun. It seeks nearly 2.8 billion KRW (about P115 million) in damages through multiple lawsuits and asset seizure requests.

In a report by AllKpop, Cuckoo Electronics, a key subsidiary of CUCKOO Holdings responsible for over 90 percent of the group’s revenue, filed a provisional seizure request on 24 April. The request targeted approximately 100 million KRW (P4 million) worth of the actors personal assets. 

The Seoul Eastern District Court's 52nd Civil Division approved the request on 20 May.

A couple of Cuckoo’s subsidiaries have also filed for additional lawsuits against the actor. Soo Hyun’s controversy with the late Kim Sae Ron resulted in these legal disputes.