Bench brought back Kim Soo-hyun after his scandal — and faced a backlash

In March 2025, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun was accused in a dating scandal involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron. Brands including Prada, Eider, and Dinto immediately ended their partnerships. Kim Soo-hyun withdrew from public life for over a year, and his career was widely considered over. After a police investigation cleared him of criminal wrongdoing in May 2026, a cautious return began — but most brands stayed away, waiting to see whether public sentiment would recover.

Bench, the Philippine fashion brand that had partnered with Kim Soo-hyun before the scandal, was the first to give him a public platform again. On June 8, 2026, Bench confirmed a new campaign with a photoshoot scheduled for July 14. The announcement was met with immediate backlash: Philippine netizens called for a boycott, accusing Bench of enabling a public figure who had faced serious allegations. Comments on Bench's social media posts demanded the brand drop him, and the controversy trended on local platforms.

Bench proceeded with the campaign anyway, completing the photoshoot on schedule. The brand issued no public statement addressing the backlash. The decision became a case study in the trade-off between loyalty to a long-term partner and responsiveness to public sentiment — especially when the partner's controversy involved allegations that resonated emotionally with the brand's audience.