The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a construction company that filed a suit against the late Choi Jin Shil. The court ruled that “Models who fail to maintain appropriate dignity as the faces of the products they represent should compensate for the damages caused to their advertiser.” In March 2004, Choi Jin Shil was hired to be the representing model for Shinhan Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd and that if she were to damage the company's reputation, she would have to pay back 500 million won (about $399,361USD). Later in the year, Choi's bruised face, allegedly caused by the abuse of her then husband Jo Sung Min, appeared everywhere. The company filed a suit against her, requesting 3 billion won for the "damages" to their image. "We use this model so that their image will attract customers," said the Supreme Court in the ruling. "The model's failure to maintain a decent image is a breach of contract." As a model, it was said she is supposed to represent "dignity and happiness." And as the company's model, she is obligated to appear as such. In other words, Choi Jin Shil was successfully sued because her husband was beating her ass, and she wasn't "dignified" or "happy" about it. What I hope is that the company's image is even more tarnished now that they decided to go through with this, nine months after the woman has been dead. It's really sad that her family now has to deal with this, along with the custody battle for Jin Shil's children as well. Credits: allkpop ================================================== A court has ruled that the heirs of the late actress Choi Jin-sil must compensate an advertiser since she failed to maintain her dignity as a model when pictures of her after a beating by her then-husband Cho Sung-min were publicized in media. A construction company sued Choi in 2004 for W3 billion (US$1=W1,250) for damages incurred and the modeling fee paid. The Supreme Court on Thursday reversed a ruling that cleared Choi of responsibility and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court. The company paid Choi W250 million in March 2004 for modeling for apartment buildings. The contract included a clause that if Choi disgraced the image of the company by damaging her social and moral image through her own fault, she would repay the firm twice the modeling fee. Five months later, pictures of her beaten and of the inside of her house in a chaotic state were released. Because Choi died in October 2008 when the case was under Supreme Court review, her status passed to her eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. Choi's mother is acting as legal guardian. Source: chosun
