On March 29, 2025, YouTuber Garosero posted a video asserting that actor Cha Eun-woo failed to attend the funeral of Kim Sae-ron, who was reportedly a close friend. This claim was made by the investigative Korean media channel, emphasizing that Kim Sae-ron was previously represented by Fantagio, which is also the agency of Cha Eun-woo and his band ASTRO.
Additionally, Garosero accused Cha Eun-woo’s manager of providing sensitive information to the media outlet Dispatch, which included images of Kim Sae-ron allegedly visiting a poker bar—a situation that sparked public outrage in April 2023.
In a livestream on the same day, Garosero’s head, Kim Se-ui, made several controversial statements. He detailed an allegation that the manager of Cha Eun-woo contacted Kim Sae-ron’s family shortly after the allegations surrounding the actor emerged. Se-ui claimed this manager attempted to sway the family to cease their engagement with Garosero and to facilitate a meeting with actor Kim Soo-hyun to mitigate the ongoing scandal.
“So, this manager gets in touch with Kim Sae-ron’s family right around when the scandal first broke. The manager tries to convince the bereaved to meet up with Kim Soo-hyun and to stop talking to me. Then he offers to connect the family to a ‘good press.’ Guess which press called the family right after? Dispatch.”
Se-ui further suggested that it was indeed Cha Eun-woo’s manager who involved Dispatch in the situation without disclosing the individual’s name, stating:
“What has Dispatch done to Kim Sae-ron, though? They’re the ones who published an exclusive on her with pictures of her at the poker bar. Remember? Who do you think took those pictures? Someone close to her, no? It was Cha Eun-woo’s manager who got Dispatch involved.”
It should be noted that Kim Sae-ron passed away on February 16, 2025, with police reports indicating the cause of death as suicide. Her funeral services took place on February 17, and it was reported by MyDaily News on February 19 that Cha Eun-woo had sent flower arrangements to her memorial.
Revisiting the Controversy Surrounding Kim Soo-hyun
The accusations involving Cha Eun-woo’s manager surfaced within a larger controversy implicating actor Kim Soo-hyun in connection with Kim Sae-ron. Following her tragic passing, speculation regarding a prior romantic involvement between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron arose.
According to the Garosero Research Institute, claims of a relationship dating back to 2015 have surfaced, suggesting that the two actors were involved when Kim Sae-ron was just 15 years old and Kim Soo-hyun was 27. Family statements purportedly buttressing these claims emerged on March 10, leading to a continuous flow of allegations and purported evidence since then.
A Brief Overview of Allegations Against Kim Soo-hyun:
- Claims of dating the late actress when he was 27 and she was only 15 years old.
- Speculations regarding their relationship lasting from 2015 until 2022.
- Allegations that he pressured Kim Sae-ron for the repayment of 700 million won.
- Photographic evidence suggesting frequent visits to Kim Sae-ron’s apartment by him.
- Accusations of collusion with YouTuber Lee Jin-ho to defame Kim Sae-ron following her DUI incident in 2022.
In reaction to these serious allegations, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, promptly denied any wrongdoing. They claimed that any romantic relationship began in 2019, when Kim Sae-ron had reached the age of consent. This denial was articulated on March 15, following the initial claims made five days earlier.
Gold Medalist further stated intentions to pursue legal action against the Garosero Research Institute for spreading alleged misinformation. The fallout from these allegations has been significant, with several brands including PRADA, Dinto, Eider, and Homeplus distancing themselves from Kim Soo-hyun.
Moreover, Disney+ has postponed the production of an upcoming series titled Knock Off indefinitely. Reports from March 27 indicated that Kim Soo-hyun could face penalties ranging from 18 billion KRW (approximately $12.2 million) to as much as 180 billion KRW (around $123 million) if the series is ultimately cancelled.
It has been reported that Kim Soo-hyun charged over 500 million KRW (approx. $340,693) per episode of Knock Off, accounting for about 15% of the total production budget.
In addition to episodic payments, sources from Money Today indicate that Kim Soo-hyun may incur further penalties, estimated at 22 billion KRW (around $15 million), connected to contractual agreements with various brands including Eider, Shabu Old Day, Dinto, Homeplus, Shinhan Bank, Tous Les Jours, Cuckoo, PRADA, and Jo Malone London.