Actor Kim Soo-hyun holds a press conference at Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in March last year to address allegations that he had dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor. [Yonhap]
Actor Kim Soo-hyun holds a press conference at Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in March last year to address allegations that he had dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor. [Yonhap]

Actor Kim Soo-hyun, 38, is set to resume public activities with an advertising shoot roughly a year after stepping back amid a personal controversy.

Kim will film a commercial for Bench, a leading Philippine fashion brand, on July 14, News1 reported.

Public attention to Kim's potential comeback intensified after Kim Se-eui, head of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, was arrested and referred to prosecutors on charges including spreading false information. Kim Se-eui had used the channel to allege, from March to May last year, that Kim Soo-hyun had dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron beginning when she was a minor.

Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative, attorney Ko Sang-rok, addressed the actor's return plans June 1 during an appearance on YTN Radio's "Wise Radio Lifestyle," saying the agency was "carefully deliberating on the specifics" while acknowledging the matter was "a sensitive one."

Ko said the actor "suffered serious harm from cybercrime and came close to having his reputation and dignity completely destroyed, but is now in the process of restoring his honor," adding that "getting the actor back to his everyday life is the top priority." He said, "As the truth comes to light, what matters most is that our society welcomes him back to his rightful place with warmth and support."

Bench is a household brand in the Philippines that has previously featured hallyu stars including actor Lee Min-ho, 2PM's Nichkhun, Choi Si-won and Hyun Bin as its models.

Kim Soo-hyun remains entangled in civil litigation with multiple advertisers. The 14th Civil Division of Suwon District Court is scheduled to hold a third hearing on June 10 in a 3.96 billion won (about $2.57 million) damages suit filed by health supplement company FromBio against Kim and his agency, Gold Medalist. Kim also faces a combined damages claim exceeding 10 billion won from advertisers including Cuckoo Electronics, Trendmaker, Classys, Eider and Mido.


jshan@heraldcorp.com