Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Louis Koo Tin-lok and his production company, One Cool Film Production Limited, are facing a civil lawsuit seeking more than HK$149.38 million (about US$19 million) over an alleged unpaid loan dating back to 2019.
The case was filed in Hong Kong’s High Court on September 2 by Sino Hero Ventures Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. According to the writ of summons, the company provided Koo and One Cool Film with a HK$70 million term-loan facility on September 6, 2019.
From HK$70 million to HK$149 million
The original agreement reportedly required the loan to be repaid by September 17, 2020. The repayment deadline was subsequently extended twice, eventually moving to December 31, 2022.
The loan carried interest of 1% per month, or 12% annually, according to the court documents cited by SCMP. The rate reportedly increased to 1.5% per month, or 18% annually, following a default.
The plaintiff alleges that only HK$13.2 million had been repaid by January 29, 2024. Following further demands for payment, another HK$700,000 was paid on August 27, 2026.
As of August 28, the amount claimed as outstanding — including principal and interest — was HK$149,382,227, according to the filing. The plaintiff is seeking repayment of the outstanding amount, with further interest claimed after the August payment.
That means the amount being claimed is more than twice the original HK$70 million principal, largely reflecting the interest that accumulated over the years.
This is not the first financial lawsuit involving Koo
The new case comes after another legal dispute involving Koo.
In June 2024, businessman and film producer Alex Dong Choi-chi filed a High Court action seeking HK$8.3 million from Koo. Dong alleged that he had personally lent the money to Koo in connection with investments involving fashion and food businesses, with the loan reportedly due after five years.
Koo later indicated through his manager that the 2024 matter had been handed to his lawyers and declined to comment publicly.
It is important, however, to distinguish the two cases: the latest HK$149 million action involves Sino Hero Ventures and a 2019 loan to Koo and One Cool Film, while the earlier HK$8.3 million case involved a different business partner and separate investments.
One Cool Film’s role
One Cool Film Production is part of the wider One Cool Group, which operates across film production and distribution, post-production, artist management, music and related entertainment businesses. The company’s official site lists film production and distribution operations in Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Koo is also one of Hong Kong’s best-known film figures and has remained active as an actor and producer. His recent high-profile work includes the 2024 film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which became a major Hong Kong box-office and international festival title.
What happens next?
The lawsuit is a civil claim, not a criminal case, and the allegations in the writ have not been established by a court judgment.
The case, listed as HCA 1529/2026, will now proceed through Hong Kong’s court system. The plaintiff is asking the court to order Koo and One Cool Film to repay the claimed outstanding amount and applicable interest.
The striking figure is therefore not simply the original HK$70 million loan — it is how years of unpaid principal and contractual interest have produced a claim approaching HK$150 million.
The case could draw considerable attention because of Koo’s profile in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, but the ultimate liability and any defenses will be matters for the court to determine.
WWC NEW MEADIA J.M.D
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