Revelations and Controversies Surrounding Kim Sae-ron’s Untimely Passing
On March 19, 2025, YouTuber Lee Jin-ho stirred public interest when he released an alleged audio recording suggesting that actress Kim Sae-ron was married and expecting a child at the time of her tragic passing on February 16, 2025. This claim followed the emergence of several photos in January 2025 that seemed to depict a wedding photoshoot, which Sae-ron reportedly deleted shortly thereafter.
In the audio, purportedly featuring Kim Sae-ron in conversation with a staff member, the actress confessed to having secretly married abroad and expressed concerns over her pregnancy. The audio further implied that her boyfriend, residing in New York, had exerted pressure on her regarding marriage. Notably, it was also suggested that she had undergone an abortion, adding to the gravity of the claims made.
Public Reaction and Controversy over Audio Authenticity
The release of the audio recording triggered a wave of responses across social media, with a mix of shock and skepticism among netizens. Many Chinese users examined the content closely, asserting that the audio showed signs of heavy editing. One user, @Kasyou0626, translated various comments addressing the integrity of the audio into English.
“There are a lot of editing traces between Kim Sae-ron’s sentences,” a netizen remarked.
Further critiques asserted that the analysis was based solely on the audio waveform without verifying the content’s authenticity:
“The analysis is based solely on the audio waveform from Lee Jin-ho’s YouTube, without any judgment on the authenticity of the content,” a netizen observed.
Online discussions highlighted the belief among some users that the audio had been manipulated:
“Audio editing traces (complete 0 dB), pure silence caused by editing,” a netizen noted.
“When zoomed in, it’s very clear that the cuts between Kim Sae-ron’s sentences are extremely frequent,” another commenter mentioned.
“The audio of Lee Jin-ho speaking, even with pauses, cannot possibly have pure silence at 0 dB,” a netizen added.
Context Surrounding Kim Sae-ron’s Death
The tragic death of Kim Sae-ron, confirmed to be a suicide, occurred on February 16, 2025. Following the incident, her family, alongside the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, levelled serious allegations against actor Kim Soo-hyun, claiming he had been in a relationship with Sae-ron since she was a minor. Moreover, they accused his agency, GOLD MEDALIST, of imposing financial burdens on her following her DUI incident in 2022.
In light of these controversies, Lee Jin-ho issued a public apology to Kim Sae-ron and her family on March 13, acknowledging past mistakes in creating videos that spread false information about her. In the apology, he specifically denied any financial connections with Kim Soo-hyun or engaging with him for content creation. Just days later, his claims regarding Sae-ron’s marriage emerged, provoking further scrutiny.
To complicate matters, Kim Sae-ron’s family has actively pursued legal action against Lee Jin-ho, accusing him of disseminating false claims about their daughter. Reports indicate that they lodged a formal complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on March 17, 2025.
This series of events underscores the ongoing challenges surrounding media integrity, mental health awareness, and the impact of celebrity scrutiny in contemporary society.