Kim Soo-hyun is once again in the news, although unfortunately, this isn’t the kind of big news that the fans would cheer for. Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, finds itself at the center of fresh allegations; from low payouts for the actors it represents, lack of transparency in managing the agency, as well as unclear identity of sources of the agency’s funding.
Timing only complicates the situation further for Kim, as he navigates existing issues related to his public reputation, supposed dating cites with late actress Kim Sae-ron, a significant number of ongoing lawsuits, a relatively unreported hiatus from the entertainment industry have contributed to an already complex public identity.
The secondary controversy surrounding the Gold Medalist agency raises further complications; fans especially, in addition to the industry have a lot of inquiries: what did the Gold Medalist say about Kim Soo-hyun? Who is the real owner of the agency? How did Kim make his money? Does Gold Medalist earn its share as profit from Kim’s contracting earnings? Who is Kim’s ex-spouse? What are Kim’s legal disputes? And how or why did Prada take Kim off of their forthcoming advertising campaign?
Let’s take a moment to explore what is really going on within these contexts.
3. Background of Gold Medalist.
- Founded: In 2020, co-founders include Kim Soo-hyun who has previously been in the spotlight for signing exclusive contracts with major agencies
- Managed Stars: Kim Soo-hyun, Choi Hyun-wook, Seol In-ah, Kim Su Gyeom, etc. (total 9 Actors).
- Largest Shareholder: Barun No. 2 Investment Association.
- Ownership status: Barun No. 2 is officially registered as the owner, however, none of the sources suggest that the real owner is Kim Soo-hyun’s brother, Lee Bo Re to remain a face behind the name.
- Reputation: A prominent management firm pioneering the management of Hallyu star.
4. The Allegations
a. Settlement Payments (2020–2024)
Apparently, Gold Medalist paid its artists a mere 670 million KRW (~ USD 479,000) over a five-year period. This gap is stark: in 2024, Kim Soo-hyun’s drama Queen of Tears grossed about 20 billion KRW (~ USD 14.6M), but his settlement was only 2.70 billion KRW (~ USD 17M). This discrepancy between agency profits, brand deals, and artist payouts has sparked the interest and the concern of fans and industry insiders—alleging that despite agency profits and commissions on brand deals, artists’ settlements are low.
b. Industry Comparison
When comparing the numbers to an industry average, the gap is even more pronounced:
- IU’s EDAM Entertainment reportedly paid her 33.6 billion KRW.
- In contrast, ADOR (the K-pop group NewJeans’ agency) reported that it paid 150.44 crores KRW to the group.
- Hook Entertainment (Lee Seung-gi) reportedly has billions in annual settlements.
Most entertainment companies distribute 80–90% of sales revenue to their artists, which raises concerns about Gold Medalist’s compensation level, including transparency and fairness.
C. Barun No. 2 Investment Association Suspicions
The largest shareholder of the agency, Barun No. 2 Investment Association, has come under scrutiny. Located in a relatively straightforward building in Jangwi-dong, the second floor is occupied by a medical equipment company, with no sign of Gold Medalist in the building.
There was no indication about any physical offices, raising some concern about its transparency. Barun No. 2 owns a KOSDAQ-listed online education company that is currently being investigated by police for suspected stock manipulation and tax evasion. Competitors and media have referred to Gold Medalist’s management structure as “opaque,” indicating incomplete visibility of decision-making and fund management.
d. Audit documents and media reports
Audits and media documents suggest settlement ratios at Gold Medalist appear to diverge from the industry standard. Some have referred to their profit-sharing structure as “extraordinarily opaque relative to performance.” Many industry observers have pointed out that the majority of agencies publish artist settlement reports, which adds even more suspicion to the unusually low settlement payouts at Gold Medalist.
5. Agency’s Response (Gold Medalist Statement)
a. Accounting Practices
Gold Medalist further clarified that listed companies report under IFRS while privately held companies such as themselves are under K-GAAP. This makes for an unfair comparison. The agency stated artist payments are considered a cost of sales, which meant there was no problem in being accounted for. The statement was formal in tone and stated it intended to correct the misinformation that was previously mentioned in the media.
b. Location of the Union’s Head Office
The agreement confirmed the largest shareholder’s address is legally registered and was registered during the time of business registration. Typically, investment associations do not operate from an office. Gold Medalist stated this “remains the same today” meaning all structures are legal and compliant.
c. Compliance / Legal Management
Gold Medalist maintains a long lasting legal advisory contract with LKB Pyeongsan (LKB & Partners). All decisions made within the management have been subject to rigorous legal review. The agency confirmed that no unlawful practices happen and that all of their operations are compliant.
6. Responses from Netizens and the Industry
Netizens:
- “Too much shady stuff going on, needs to be investigated.”
- “This is a point of no return.”
Fans and the general public are worried, calling for the government and media to investigate the whole situation.
Industry Insiders:
- Some people feel the settlements are too low relative to actors’ market value, demonstrating concern for the case.
- Others defended the agency and the payouts, saying the allegations were wild and that the comparison between listed and unlisted entities are subjective due to different accounting standards.
In general, there are high levels of public skepticism, and the industry is still divided regarding the issues of Gold Medalist’s payouts and disclosure.
7. The Effect on Kim Soo-hyun
- Kim Soo-hyun experienced personal troubles previously and now the agency scandal adds to the difficulty:.
- Personal troubles: Having a long-term relationship with the late actress, Kim Sae-ron, and allegations of her being underage.
- Legal action: Seeking both defamation and damages (around 12 billion KRW) to help restore his reputation.
- Career break: Activities have been put on hold, he has kept a low profile in 2025.
- Agency scandal impact: Low settlements and lack of management transparency are detrimental to his public image and credibility.
- Endorsements & future project concerns: Convergences of his previous troubles, with the agency scandal could jeopardize projects and deals in the future.
8. Sectoral Considerations
The Gold Medalist saga is a manifestation of sectoral issues:
- Transparency: Transparency of management and finances in unregulated talent agencies is questionable.
- Gap in accounting standards: The difference between IFRS (listed) and K-GAAP (unlisted) indicates, again, a lack of consensus on accounting standards that appears to have less value, and an issue of accountability too.
- Questions of audits: Public/insider debate exists about the norms that could be introduced to the audit regime for unlisted talent agencies.
- Reputation of global Hallyu: Unresolved questions of transparency may have international implications in terms of the viability of South Korea’s entertainment industry.
9. Timeline of Events
- Feb 16, 2025: Kim Sae-Ron dies; dating rumors surface in regard to Kim Soo-hyun.
- Early 2025: Kim Soo-hyun freezes his activities and keeps a low profile.
- Sep 19, 2025: Allegations of misconduct and a settlement between Gold Medalist and a partner of Kim Soo-hyun’s are brought to light in media reports.
- Sep 19, 2025: Gold Medalist issues an official statement denying any wrongdoing.
- Sep 20, 2025: Public discourse amongst industry people and netizens continues, and talk of transparency and accountability increases.
10. FAQ Section
Q1: Why is Gold Medalist under scrutiny?
- Low settlements (670M KRW over 5 years) despite high revenue.
Q2: What’s the shareholder controversy?
- Largest shareholder (Barun No.2) has unclear ownership and no physical office.
Q3: How did Gold Medalist respond?
- Denied allegations, cited K-GAAP standards, legal compliance.
Q4: What role does Kim Soo-hyun play?
- Co-founder and biggest star; insiders suggest brother manages behind-the-scenes. The scandal adds pressure on his public image.
Q5: What’s next?
- Possible investigations and growing demand for industry transparency.
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11. Conclusion
These allegations clearly highlight the gap between industry expectations and the agency’s defense.
While the Gold Medalist insists on legality, public and media skepticism persists.
For Kim Soo-hyun, the overlap of personal and agency controversies poses a long-term risk to his image and career unless both the star and agency provide clarity and transparency.
