Han So-hee poses as a model for Lotte Chilsung's Chum Churum soju. Courtesy of Lotte Chilsung

Lotte Chilsung and Nonghyup Bank opted to terminate their advertising deals with actor Han So-hee, triggering speculation that it was due to her controversial romance with actor Ryu Jun-yeol, according to industry watchers, on Thursday.

After revealing her relationship with Ryu on March 15, Han faced a barrage of criticism from fans because he was still thought to be dating Hyeri, a former member of Girl's Day. Hyeri's brief Instagram comment, "That's funny," following the revelation, was seen by many as a sarcastic quip directed at the new couple.

Both the beverage company and the bank have refuted such speculation, saying that their advertising agreements with Han ended based on contractual conditions. Advertising experts suggest that the A-list celebrity could have effortlessly renewed commercial contracts like her predecessors were it not for the high-profile incident.

Experts noted that models for Korean soju products, typically featuring attractive women celebrities leveraging their fame, often extend their deals for years.

"A celebrity's involvement in a public scandal can indeed raise concerns, particularly when they serve as an advertising model," a PR industry official said. "Hiring a celebrity embroiled in scandal can lead to rumors and bad publicity for the companies that employ them."

But the Lotte official said their contract with Han ended due to other reasons.

"Our contract with Han ended at the beginning of this month, which was before her romance scandal broke out," said an official at Lotte Chilsung.

Han has been a model for the company's soju product, Chum Churum, which means "like the first time" in Korean, since March 2023.

"Our advertising contract with a model normally runs from six months to a year. But because of the country's topsy-turvy trends, we nowadays sign contracts for even shorter periods, like one to three months, depending on the model," the official said. "That's what the models' agencies also want because some celebrities can catch a big breakfast and raise their values quickly. For them, a short-term contract is more lucrative than a long-term one."

Han, who has served as the face of Nonghyup Bank since 2021, witnessed the partnership dissolve this month without renewal. A bank official said that the decision was unrelated to her scandal.

"Our deal with commercial models varies case by case in terms of the contract period. The longest contract we've had was four years," the official said. "We're currently searching for a new model to succeed Han. We'll select our pick among candidates in early April."

A YouTube commercial clip for Hey Dealer, an online used car dealership platform endorsed by Han, garnered hundreds of critical comments, prompting the company to disable the comment section.

The scandal's fallout also affected Ryu, as his promotional partnership with Greenpeace Korea came under fire. Amid rumors of infidelity against Hyeri, critics urged Ryu to terminate the deal. Negative comments also highlighted his hobby of playing golf, suggesting that engaging in a sport linked to environmental disruption disqualified him from representing Greenpeace.