Following the recent allegations made by the family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron against her agency, Gold Medalist, and actor Kim Soo-hyun, the agency has released a formal statement to address the accusations. These claims concern financial dues and an alleged connection with YouTuber Lee Jin-ho.
As reported by Star Daily News on March 18, Gold Medalist firmly denied any affiliation with Lee Jin-ho. The agency clarified that the individual referred to by Ga Se-yeon as the “former manager of Kim Sae-ron” is not an employee of Gold Medalist but rather affiliated with a different company that previously collaborated with Kim Sae-ron.
“The ‘former manager of Kim Sae-ron’ claimed by Ga Se-yeon is not from Gold Medalist, but is an official from another company that worked with Kim Sae-ron.”
Moreover, Gold Medalist announced that any financial obligation associated with Kim Sae-ron has been officially written off, providing evidence to support this assertion.
“You can confirm that the debt was written off as of December 31, 2023, through the audit report on April 1, 2024.”
Gold Medalist Responds to Allegations
In its March 18 statement, Gold Medalist addressed multiple allegations concerning the ongoing controversy surrounding Kim Sae-ron. The agency explained that while references had been made to the actress’s debt being settled, they clarified that it had not been collected by them. The debt was written off by the end of December, attributed to her inability to fulfill payment obligations after her DUI incident, which subsequently restricted her capacity to engage in new projects.
Gold Medalist further emphasized that they did not impose any restrictions preventing Kim Sae-ron from maintaining contact with other artists within the agency.
Additionally, Gold Medalist reiterated that YouTuber Lee Jin-ho is not affiliated with their label but is part of another agency that previously worked with Kim Sae-ron. Lee Jin-ho has been criticized for making disparaging remarks regarding the late actress, which has prompted her family to hold him accountable for the statements he has made.
“Kim Sae Ron’s contract with Gold Medalist expired in November 2022. Afterward, she was working with a different entertainment company. The manager whom Garo Sero Research Institute claimed to be connected to YouTuber Lee Jin Ho is actually affiliated with that other company and is not an employee of GOLD MEDALIST.”
“Despite this, Garo Sero Research Institute is distorting the facts by making carefully worded statements at press conferences—such as “We are at the stage of identifying the manager from Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, whom Lee Jin Ho called a close friend”—which are designed to avoid legal responsibility while misleading the public.”
According to a report from Newsis on March 16, Kim Sae-ron’s family intends to pursue legal action against Lee Jin-ho. They have accused Kim Soo-hyun’s management team of conspiring with Lee Jin-ho to disseminate false information regarding the actress.
Clarifications on SEO Ye-ji Rumors
Gold Medalist also sought to dispel rumors suggesting that they had defamed Seo Ye-ji, Kim Soo-hyun’s co-star from the series *It’s Okay Not To Be Okay*. The agency asserted that these claims are entirely unfounded. Furthermore, they disclosed that Seo Ye-ji’s former manager, who is currently retired, reached out to them upon learning about the rumors being circulated.
In their statement, the agency expressed their respect for the late actress by confirming their attendance at her funeral services. They elaborated on their efforts to convey condolences to her family:
“We left a condolence wreath, we visited the funeral twice on February 17 and February 19, and we also met with the bereaved family in person to offer our condolences and left condolence money.”
In closing, Gold Medalist requested that Kim Sae-ron’s family and Garo Sero Institute cease disseminating information about Kim Soo-hyun, asserting that such reports are “unrelated”to the actor.