Seungook Kong v. Laundress, LLC.

2026 NY Slip Op 30727(U)
CourtNew York Supreme Court, New York County
DecidedFebruary 26, 2026
DocketIndex No. 153041/2024
StatusUnpublished
AuthorDakota D. Ramseur

This text of 2026 NY Slip Op 30727(U) (Seungook Kong v. Laundress, LLC.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court, New York County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Seungook Kong v. Laundress, LLC., 2026 NY Slip Op 30727(U) (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2026).

Opinion

Seungook Kong v Laundress, LLC. 2026 NY Slip Op 30727(U) February 26, 2026 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 153041/2024 Judge: Dakota D. Ramseur Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication.

file:///LRB-ALB-FS1/Vol1/ecourts/Process/covers/NYSUP.1530412024.NEW_YORK.001.LBLX038_TO.html[03/11/2026 3:45:49 PM] !FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 02/27/2026 10:26 AM! INDEX NO. 153041/2024 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 44 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/26/2026

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK COUNTY PRESENT: HON. DAKOTA D. RAMSEUR PART 34M Justice -----------------------------------------------------X INDEX NO. 153041 /2024 SEUNGOOK KONG, 08/08/2024, Plaintiff, MOTION DATE 09/30/2024

- V - MOTION SEQ. NO. 003 004

THE LAUNDRESS, LLC., CONOPCO, INC.,THE NEW LONDON PHARMACY, INC. DECISION + ORDER ON MOTION Defendant. ------------X

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 003) 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 were read on this motion to/for DISMISS

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 004) 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 were read on this motion to/for DISMISS

On April 2, 2024, plaintiff Seungook Kong commenced the instant personal injury and

products liability action against defendants The Landress LLC (hereinafter, "The Laundress"),

Conopco, Inc. d/b/a Unilever Home and Personal Care USA and The New London Pharmacy,

Inc (collectively, "defendants"). 1 Plaintiff asserts causes of action for negligence, design defect,

manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of express and implied warranties, violation of

New York General Business Law §§ 349 and 350, and punitive damages. In Motion Sequence

003, The Laundress moves to dismiss each of these causes of action pursuant to 321 l(a)(?) for

failure to state a cause of action. First, it argues that, for each claim, plaintiff has not sufficiently

pied that one of defendants' products-whether conditioner, detergent, stain removers, or

1 Pursuant to the stipulation of partial discontinuance entered July 26, 2024, plaintiff discontinued this action against defendant Conopco, Inc. d/b/a Unilever Home and Personal Care USA only. (NYSCEF doc. no. 25, stip. of discontinuance.) 153041/2024 KONG, SEUNGOOK vs. THE LAUNDRESS, LLC. ET AL Page 1 of 13 Motion No. 003 004

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bleach--caused his injuries; second, as to each specific causes of action, The Laundress contends

that plaintiff has failed to ple ad one or more of the requisite elements, such that dismissal is

required. Plaintiff opposes the motion in its entirety. (NYSCEF doc. no. 31, plaintiff's memo of

In Motion Sequence 004, The New London Pharmacy, Inc. moves to dismiss the causes

of action asserted against it for reasons stated in The Laundress's motion. (NYSCEF doc. no. 36,

notice of motion; NYSCEF doc. no. 37, New London Pharmacy affirmation in support.) Motion

Sequence 003 and 004 are consolidated for resolution herein. 2

BACKGROUND

In his amended complaint, plaintiff alleges that he regularly purchased and used many as

19 different products manufactured by The Laundress and distributed by New London Pharmacy

between 2019 and 2022. 3 (NYSCEF doc. no. 22, ~28, Plaintiff's Amended Complaint). These

products include: Fabric Conditioner Classic, Number 10 Detergent, Number 10 Fabric

Conditioner, Signature Detergent Classic, Stain Solution, Surface Cleaner., Wool & Cashmere

Shampoo, No. 10 Fabric Fresh, All Purpose Bleach Alternative, Fabric and Room Spray, Fabric

2 In Hernandez v The Laundress, LLC (NYSCEF index no. 15869/2023), The Laundress moved to consolidate it with this action and Baron v The Laundress, LLC (NYSCEF index no. 161675/2023). That motion is unopposed and was granted pursuant to a separate order dated February 20, 2026. The Court also notes that it resolved The Laundress's motion to dismiss in these two other cases in separate decisions. 3 As against New London Pharmacy, plaintiff alleges that it "marketed, sold, manufactured, and/or distributed Laundress products." (NYSCEF doc. no. 22 at ,11.) However, it is clear from the complaint that The Laundress manufactured and produced the alleged tainted products and that plaintiff purchased them from the New London Pharmacy on 8th Avenue. (Id. at 41.) There are no, at least non-conclusory, allegations that New London Pharmacy designed or manufactured of any the products listed in the complaint. 153041/2024 KONG, SEUNGOOK vs. THE LAUNDRESS, LLC. ET AL Page 2 of 13 Motion No. 003 004

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Fresh Classic, Fabric Spray, Home Spray, Linen Spray, Signature Detergent and Fabric

Conditioner Duo, and Signature Detergent Fresh Wash in a variety of sizes. (Id. at 128).

In around July 2021, plaintiff alleges that he began suffering from an eye infection after

having used these various products. An eye culture was taken on or about July 30, 2021, which

revealed the presence of the bacteria klebsiella aero genes. (Id. at 1 98) Thereafter, on August 10,

2021, plaintiff underwent emergency craniofacial surgery, during which his surgeon found

extensive evidence of this infection. (Id. at 199.) Plaintiff further alleges that, due to these

injuries, he later underwent facial reconstruction surgery that required doctors to insert titanium

hardware in his face and remove four implants from a previous facial surgery. (Id. at 1194, 102.)

On November 17, 2022, The Laundress issued a safety notice covering as many as eight

million units of its products. (Id. at 174.) The safety notice read:

"This safety notice is to inform you to immediately stop using all The

Laundress products in your possession. We have identified the potential presence

of elevated levels of bacteria in some of our products that present a safety concern.

Based on our investigation to date, we are not aware of any adverse health impacts

related to this issue. Your safety and the quality of our products is our top priority.

We are working closely with our suppliers to ensure that our products meet our

standards and expectations. We apologize for this situation and appreciate your

attention to this notice. We will communicate an update about the products

153041/2024 KONG, SEUNGOOK vs. THE LAUNDRESS, LLC. ET AL Page 3 of 13 Motion No. 003 004

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impacted and how to obtain a reimbursement or replacement as soon as possible.

The Laundress Team." (Id. at ips.)

Two weeks later, on or about December 1, 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product

Safety Commission issued a recall covering the eight million Laundress products. (Id. at 176.) In

its announcement of the report, the Commission stated, "The recalled products can contain

bacteria, including Burkholderia cepacian complex, Klebsiella aerogenes, and multiple different

species of Pseudomanas." (Id.) The statement also noted that, "To date, testing has identified

bacteria in certain recalled products, including those produced between January 2021 and

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2026 NY Slip Op 30727(U), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seungook-kong-v-laundress-llc-nysupctnewyork-2026.