On March 11, 2025, alarming reports emerged suggesting that South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun had a romantic relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron when she was just 15 years old. These claims were publicized by the Garosero Research Institute, a YouTube channel founded by former journalists Kang Yong-suk, Kim Se-ui, and Kim Yong-ho.
The controversy ignited on March 10, 2025, when Garosero released a video featuring purported conversations with Kim Sae-ron’s aunt. In this video, she alleged that Kim Soo-hyun, then 27, started dating Sae-ron in 2015 when she was still a minor. This alleged relationship continued for six years, reportedly ending after Sae-ron’s arrest for drunk driving in 2022.
This shocking news followed a tragic event, as Kim Sae-ron passed away by suicide on February 16, 2025, coincidentally on Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday, further complicating the narrative surrounding their relationship.
Investigating the Garosero Claims Against Kim Soo-hyun
Garosero was established to highlight sensational stories and controversies, a mission reflected in its name, which translates to “vertical and horizontal.”The founding members include Kang Yong-suk, a former lawyer and politician; Kim Se-ui, an ex-MBC journalist; and Kim Yong-ho, a former entertainment reporter.
The channel gained notoriety in 2021 for allegations against Seo Ye-ji, star of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, regarding her conduct toward actor Kim Jung-hyun. These accusations severely impacted Seo’s career, prompting her to step back from public life for over three years.
In a notable revelation in November 2023, Garosero identified a manager involved in the drug case of the late Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun, who had reportedly extorted 300 million KRW (around $205,871) from him, culminating in a tragic series of events that saw Lee take his own life in December 2023.
More recently, Kim Se-ui from Garosero revealed that Kim Sae-ron had joined Gold Medalist, the agency co-founded by Kim Soo-hyun, out of admiration for him. According to the aunt, Sae-ron even contributed to mentoring novice actors on a voluntary basis.
Furthermore, Kim Sae-ron’s aunt claimed that after the actress’s DUI incident in 2022, Soo-hyun purportedly agreed to cover her damages, amounting to 700 million KRW (approximately $480,324). However, after Sae-ron’s contract with Gold Medalist concluded in 2024, she allegedly received a formal demand for repayment of this amount.
In response to these serious allegations, Gold Medalist strongly denied any impropriety. The agency denounced the claims as “completely false”and announced their intention to pursue legal action against Garosero. A statement from the agency emphasized their commitment to taking the matter seriously, vowing to counter the spread of what they referred to as “false facts.”
“Garosero Research Institute claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and YouTuber Lee Jin-ho colluded to harass the late Kim Sae-ron, claimed that the late Kim Sae-ron had been dating Kim Soo-hyun since she was 15… These are all false facts that we absolutely cannot tolerate, and our company plans to consider taking the strongest possible legal action against the Garosero Research Institute for spreading false facts.”
Following Gold Medalist’s legal warnings, Garosero responded defiantly, dismissing the threats and publicly asserting their intent to report Kim Soo-hyun for alleged involvement in a sexual relationship with a minor. Garosero stated:
“Kim Soo-hyun must not know who Kim Se-ui from Garosero Research Institute is, LOL. Legal action, huh? Even the oh-so-great world star BTS once threatened legal action against Garosero. What was the outcome? All of them went off to enlist. So, what can Kim Soo-hyun do? He’s a mere Hallyu star who’s only popular in China.”
“We dare you to try pulling that ‘legal action’ stunt on the bereaved, too. LOL. And sometime tomorrow, you can expect a report to be filed against you for the charge of having sex with a minor. Dating an 8th grader?! We sure hope you didn’t actually have sex with her.”
Kim Sae-ron was a talented actress known for roles in projects like Bloodhounds. Despite her promising start, her career suffered following legal complications stemming from her DUI in 2022, which resulted in her withdrawal from multiple projects. Sadly, she passed away by suicide at home, with a friend discovering her body.