Recent analysis of language has raised significant questions regarding the authorship of a set of KakaoTalk messages from 2016, which are associated with actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron. On April 9, 2025, research organization Trubaum disclosed the results of an Author Identification Assessment commissioned by Kim Soo-hyun’s legal team to ascertain the legitimacy of the messages in question.
The analysis examined written communications from three distinct years: 2016, 2018, and 2025, with content from the 2025 year sourced from verified conversations between Kim Soo-hyun and a recognized contact, which his legal representatives provided for comparative analysis.
This examination utilized a method rooted in linguistic forensics to uncover writing patterns through a statistical framework. According to Trubaum’s findings, the exchanges from 2018 and 2025 revealed no notable differences. The likelihood that Kim Soo-hyun authored both sets of texts was found to be a striking 92%.
Conversely, the 2016 messages exhibited stark contrasts compared to the samples from 2018 and 2025. Significant variances appeared in linguistic traits, notably the frequency of specific parts of speech across 18 linguistic features. As a result, the analysis suggested a 95% probability that Kim Soo-hyun did not compose the messages from 2016, with a mere 8% probability that the texts were a direct match with those from 2025. Notably, the 2016 messages first garnered attention from the YouTube channel Garosero Institute, which claimed they indicated a romantic relationship between the two actors during Kim Sae-ron’s teenage years.
Previous Denials Surrounding the Authorship of the 2016 KakaoTalk Chats
On March 28, 2025, CBS NoCut News raised concerns over the KakaoTalk messages released by Kim Sae-ron’s family at a press briefing, questioning their legal integrity. The outlet pointed out that the lack of original screenshots rendered the contents unable to undergo independent verification.
Visual evidence circulated included a photograph of Kim Soo-hyun doing dishes at Kim Sae-ron’s residence; however, the date of this image remains unverified. The purpose of sharing the messages was to substantiate claims of a personal relationship involving Kim Soo-hyun when Sae-ron was purportedly underage.
The messages, along with a handwritten note, were made public on March 27, 2025, by lawyer Bu Ji-seok, who represents Kim Sae-ron’s family. The alleged reconstructed chats were purportedly dated from June 24 to June 26, 2016, coinciding with Kim Sae-ron’s age of 15, under South Korean age norms.
Among the messages attributed to Kim Soo-hyun were phrases such as “Oh, isn’t it really so cute?”in response to a photo, and “Do it for real late,”reacting to a heart emoji. One message notably read, “When can I fall asleep while holding you?”
“It’s difficult to say at this stage whether it’s forensic evidence or not. However, I reconstructed it without changing a single word, and nothing was sanitized,”stated Mr. Bu.
He continued by clarifying that while sensitive details might have been omitted, the core content remained untouched. When probed about the use of certified forensic methods to retrieve the chats, Mr. Bu refrained from providing further comments.
In the meantime, in contradiction to a legal prohibition on creating content regarding Kim Sae-ron, YouTuber and former journalist Lee Jin-ho released a 12-minute video, which contested previous assertions made by the Garosero Research Institute regarding an alleged past relationship with Kim Soo-hyun.