Kim Woo-bin replaces Kim Soo-hyun as Shabu All Day’s new face amid Kim Sae-ron controversy fallout

On June 3, 2025, a South Korean news outlet reported that actor Kim Woo-bin is now the new ambassador for the Korean hotpot brand Shabu All Day. He replaced Kim Soo-hyun, who was removed due to multiple accusations against him.

One of the main claims suggested he had been in a relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. There were also unverified reports about him owing 700 million won, around $520,000.

Kim Soo-hyun subsequently hosted a media briefing on March 31 of this year. There, he denied all allegations, including the underage dating claim and the debt rumor. His attorneys verified they had submitted libel complaints against Kim Sae-ron’s relatives and the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute.

Following the controversy, several businesses have either pulled out or revised their campaigns involving the actor. In March, skincare brand Dinto ended its collaboration. High-fashion label PRADA also cut ties with Kim. While Homeplus chose to maintain its contract, it removed his photos from its ads and digital platforms.

Outdoor gear label Eider kept the agreement active but deleted its images from its online accounts. Similarly, Shinhan Bank and Jeju Air set past commercials featuring Kim to private or took them down altogether.

Shabu All Day hasn’t shared a public statement about the change, however, they did post an image of Kim Woo-bin holding a basket of food on Instagram.

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Kim Soo-hyun involved in multi-billion won lawsuits following last month’s advertising contract terminations

Kim Soo-hyun and his label, Gold Medalist, became entangled in a 2.8 billion KRW (roughly $2.09 million) lawsuit initiated by a previous brand collaborator.

As per the May 2 report from South Korea’s YTN Star, the lawsuit was formally filed with the Seoul Central District Court on April 25 by an entity referred to as “Company A.”

The firm claimed financial losses following the abrupt end of its promotional contract with the actor. The plaintiff attributes the decision to end the deal to recent public backlash sparked by media speculation about Kim Soo-hyun's alleged link to the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

The company argued that both the actor and his management are liable for the fallout and the resulting damage to their brand. This filing adds to other legal actions already in progress.

On April 29, two additional brands (referred to as Companies A and B) jointly brought forward claims seeking around 3 billion KRW. They are asking for reimbursement of fees paid to Kim and further financial recovery due to interrupted marketing campaigns.

Lawyer Park Sung-woo from Wooree Law Firm said the 37-year-old star's endorsement deals usually range from 1 to 1.2 billion KRW. While many companies were hesitant to sue at first, more are now considering legal action as similar cases increase. Park explained that companies rarely want to be the first to sue a celebrity, but once one does, others often follow.

According to him, if more firms initiate legal steps, the total amount demanded could climb to nearly 10 billion KRW, which equals about $7.5 million.

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Meanwhile, Disney+ has formally delayed the premiere of Knock-Off, originally scheduled for the second quarter. The delay follows lead actor Kim Soo-hyun’s recent personal controversy.

As reported by iMBC, at the 2025 Open House event, Disney Korea’s Choi Yeon-woo confirmed the decision but offered no timeline for the show’s release. Disney also declined to say whether they plan to seek damages from the actor.