On March 24, 2025, Chosun Biz reported a significant development in defamation investigations involving well-known South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron. During a press briefing, Park Hyun-soo, the acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, confirmed that a complaint against Kim Soo-hyun had been lodged on March 20, 2025, at the Gangnam Police Station.
The investigation will encompass interviews and further inquiries. In a related matter, a case involving YouTuber Lee Jin-ho concerning defamation allegations associated with Kim Sae-ron was transferred to the Seo-daemun Police Station on March 17, 2025. Currently, the police are coordinating arrangements for questioning in this case.
“An autopsy was conducted on the 12th, and the initial result was an undetermined cause of death. We are conducting thorough tests and will proceed with additional investigations once results are available.”
The incident drew public attention after the Garosero Research Institute released an image purportedly supplied by Kim Sae-ron’s family, alleging a relationship between the actress and Kim Soo-hyun that began in 2015, when Sae-ron was still a minor. Initially, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency refuted these claims as untrue.
Tragically, Kim Sae-ron was found deceased on February 16, 2025, a date that coincided with Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday. Subsequent images surfaced, indicating that their relationship began after Kim Sae-ron reached adulthood, escalating the existing dispute between her family and the actor, further exacerbated by legal actions from both parties.
Reports suggest that Kim Soo-hyun’s representatives have filed a complaint against Garosero, asserting that the YouTube channel disseminated misleading information. Concurrently, Kim Sae-ron’s family, led by lawyer Bu Ji-seok, initiated legal actions against Lee Jin-ho, who had previously refuted any romantic involvement between the two. Following the tragedy, Lee Jin-ho removed related content from his channel.
Ongoing Investigations and Allegations in the Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron Scandal
This case continues to attract attention due to serious claims made by Kim Sae-ron’s family. They allege that Kim Soo-hyun exerted pressure on the actress to repay a financial debt estimated at around 700 million KRW. Additionally, they expressed dissatisfaction with his agency, Gold Medalist, accusing them of poor handling of the situation.
To bolster their allegations, the family intends to perform a digital forensic analysis on past photographs.
The Garosero Research Institute criticized the dissemination of a private audio recording of Kim Sae-ron, purportedly leaked by her former manager, Kwak Tae-young, claiming it violated her privacy and caused added distress to her family. Although a press conference was initially arranged to discuss the audio leak, it was later canceled due to the deteriorating health of Kim Sae-ron’s mother.
In contrast, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency has firmly denied all allegations, maintaining that the actor was not involved in any campaigns to disseminate false information and asserting that legal action was necessary to legally address these claims.
In light of Garosero’s claims that the agency suppressed the authenticity of a controversial image before taking legal action, Gold Medalist has reiterated its commitment to protecting the reputation of their artist.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are expected to conduct further interviews and collect more evidence to reach a conclusion.
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