Kim Sae-ron's Family Sues YouTuber for Defamation

The family of the late actress 김새론 (Kim Sae-ron) has decided to file a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber 이진호 (Lee Jin-ho) for allegedly spreading false information. On March 17, attorney 부지석 (Boo Ji-seok) from the law firm Buyu announced that they would submit the complaint to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency at 2 PM. Prior to the submission, the attorney is expected to hold a press conference in front of the police station in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

The family claims that Lee Jin-ho created malicious videos that tarnished the reputation of the deceased, causing her significant emotional distress during her lifetime. Attorney Boo stated, "Kim Sae-ron experienced extreme pain, even contemplating drastic measures, shortly after the video was uploaded."

The family is particularly concerned about a video in which Lee Jin-ho suggested that Kim Sae-ron fabricated a story about dating actor 김수현 (Kim Soo-hyun), labeling it as "false information."

Boo emphasized that the ongoing debate centers on whether Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun dated during their teenage years, but it is a fact that they were in a relationship. He added, "Labeling this as Kim Sae-ron's 'self-made drama' is clearly false."

Kim Sae-ron was found deceased at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on February 16. Following her passing, her family claimed through the YouTube channel 가로세로연구소 (Garo Sero Research Institute) that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with her for six years, starting from their teenage years.

In response, Kim Soo-hyun's representatives released a statement on March 14, clarifying that the two dated from the summer of 2019, after Kim Sae-ron had turned 18, until the fall of 2020. They firmly denied any claims that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor, marking the first time they acknowledged their relationship.

Regarding allegations that Kim Soo-hyun neglected Kim Sae-ron's financial issues, his team stated, "This is not true. Gold Medalist, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, covered all of Kim Sae-ron's remaining debts that she could not manage. They also worked together to resolve various penalties related to her acting career and compensations for merchants affected by her DUI incident."

The situation continues to unfold as both sides present their claims, drawing significant public attention.