Kim Soo-hyun Addresses Controversy Surrounding Late Actress Kim Sae-ron
On March 31, 2025, actor Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Seoul, where he addressed the ongoing controversy involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron and her family’s claims. During the event, Kim Soo-hyun presented evidence of conversations he had with Go Song-ah, the representative of Kim Sae-ron's last agency, Management Run.
Kim stated, "I have always received an overwhelming amount of love, but with that comes many misunderstandings. False information circulates as if it were true. I believed I could handle that. However, the deceased's family claims that I drove her to her death simply because I was her ex-boyfriend. They are pressuring me to confess to actions I did not commit, accusing me of having manipulated her since she was a minor and financially coercing her to the point of death, labeling me a murderer. Please listen to this recording. After the family revealed our relationship, a YouTube channel conveying their stance released testimony from the representative of her last agency. In a newly recorded call, this person claimed that my agency pressured the deceased regarding a debt by sending a second notice. However, the conversation from a year ago with my agency's representative tells a completely different story. I urge you to listen to it."
The content includes a detailed explanation from the legal team of Gold Medalist, Kim Sae-ron's former agency, regarding the reasons for sending the second notice. However, Go Song-ah later stated in an interview with the YouTube channel that the deceased suffered due to the notice.
Kim Soo-hyun continued, "I learned through this incident that the second notice is indeed as stated. I do not understand why the representative of the deceased's last agency is saying something different now compared to a year ago. If there are responsibilities to be taken, it is natural to take them. However, I cannot be accused of actions I did not commit. The voice testimonies claimed by the family were recorded after the incident was exposed."
Currently, Kim Soo-hyun finds himself in a precarious situation. He recently canceled a fan meeting scheduled in Taiwan and officially postponed the release of the Disney+ original series 'Knock Off.' Additionally, he is facing a wave of severed ties in the advertising industry.
The YouTube channel Garoseoro Research Institute (가로세로연구소) has claimed since March 10 that the late Kim Sae-ron was in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun since her minor years and that she experienced psychological distress after receiving a notice from Gold Medalist demanding repayment of 700 million won. The family is demanding apologies from both Gold Medalist and Kim Soo-hyun through the channel, as well as from YouTuber Lee Jin-ho.
Kim Soo-hyun's side acknowledged that he did date Kim Sae-ron but denied that they were together when she was a minor, providing detailed explanations regarding the notice. However, Garoseoro continues to release private photos, videos, and letters of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron.
Furthermore, Kim Soo-hyun's agency has filed a complaint against Garoseoro, the family of Kim Sae-ron, and an individual claiming to be her aunt, A, for violations related to the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes.
In addition, Kim Soo-hyun is being asked for clarification by the family of the late Sulli. Sulli's brother has raised concerns regarding explicit scenes in the film 'Real,' claiming that despite the presence of a body double, she was pressured to perform high-level exposure scenes.
