K-drama star Kim Soo-hyun has been sued by three advertising agencies for allegedly breaching contract amid the underage dating controversy involving the late actress Kim-Sae-ron, per South Korean media reports.

A South Korean retail brand that has not yet been named and is being labelled as ‘D’ has reportedly sued Soo-hyun and filed a damages lawsuit against the actor.

According to a report by Korean news media outlet YTN Star, Soo-hyun was allegedly asked to pay a compensation amount of 2.8 billion KRW.

All the three agencies have alleged that Soo-hyun breached the contract by getting embroiled in the controversy surrounding the late actress Kim-Sae-ron’s death, according to news reports. Sae-ron died by suicide on February 16.

Earlier, the Queen of Tears star was sued by two other advertising agencies that demanded penalties from the actor. Both the firms also claimed that due to the controversies they had to face damages that needed to be compensated for.

Earlier, Kim Sae-ron’s family accused the 37-year-old actor of contributing to her death by allegedly dating her when she was a minor. The actor dismissed the allegations in his first official statement regarding the controversy at a press conference last month.

Soo-hyun was also criticised by netizens for allegedly putting pressure on the late actress to repay money to his agency, Gold Medalist, in 2023.

According to media reports, Sae-ron received a legal notice from Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, in 2023, demanding payment for damages caused by her in connection with a drink-driving case in 2022.

Denying the charges, the actor said, “It is not true that she had made this tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.”

Kim Sae-ron, who gained popularity as a child actor, passed away on February 16, which coincidentally is Soo-hyun’s birthday. According to police reports, the 24-year-old star was found dead at her residence.

Kim Soo-hyun was known as one of the highest-paid actors in South Korea before the recent scandal. Reportedly, Park Hyung-sik has now surpassed him in terms of earnings per episode.

Soo-hyun, who made his acting debut in 2007 with a supporting role in the TV series Kimchi Cheese Smile, garnered fame with popular shows It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, My Love From Star and Queen of Tears.