Kim Sae Ron's Family Decides on Photo Forensics Amid Disappointment with Kim Soo Hyun's Agency

The family of the late Kim Sae Ron has expressed disappointment with the statement from Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, and has opted to conduct digital forensics on photos that allegedly prove the two were in a relationship during their teenage years. On March 18, a media outlet reported that Kim Sae Ron's family plans to authenticate images that could substantiate their claims of a six-year relationship starting when they were both 15. After reviewing Gold Medalist's statement, the family remarked, 'We were hoping for an apology, but we are disappointed,' leading to their decision to pursue forensic analysis of the photos. Additionally, they announced plans to release videos of Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron during their relationship through the YouTube channel 'Garo Sero Research Institute' (가로세로연구소). Kwon Young-chan, the head of the Korean Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association, commented that while the agency claimed to have sent a wreath to the late Kim Sae Ron's funeral, it was actually a staff member who attended, questioning why Kim Soo Hyun himself did not show up. Previously, Kim Sae Ron's family alleged through the same YouTube channel that Kim Soo Hyun had been in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron from the age of 15 for six years and accused him of pressuring her to repay 700 million KRW after her involvement in a drunk driving incident in 2022, which led to her career halt and financial struggles. In response, Gold Medalist labeled these claims as 'unacceptable falsehoods' and stated they are considering the strongest legal actions against the dissemination of false information. However, they later acknowledged that Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after she became an adult. Regarding the repayment issue, they explained that if they were to arbitrarily cover the penalty fees that Kim Sae Ron was responsible for, it could lead to legal issues for their executives and that they needed to secure their claims against her. Furthermore, Gold Medalist clarified that the second notice of claim released by Kim Sae Ron's family was merely a legal procedural notification and emphasized that discussions about debt should be held with their legal representatives, not with unauthorized individuals.