South Korean star Kim Soo-hyun has firmly denied accusations made by the family of actress Kim Sae-ron, who died in an apparent suicide in February.
At a press conference on 31 Mar 2025 in Seoul, the 37-year-old actor addressed allegations that he dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that his agency pressured her to repay a loan.
“I can’t admit to something I didn’t do,” Kim stated tearfully at the conference.
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“I am being pressured to confess to things I never did. They say, ‘You manipulated the deceased since she was a minor’, ‘You pressured her with money and drove her to her death’, ‘So, you are a murderer.'”
Actor Rebuts Dating Allegations and Explains Previous Denial
The controversy began on 10 Mar 2025, less than a month after Kim Sae-ron’s death, when a YouTube channel known for controversial political content claimed the two had dated for six years, starting when she was 15.
Last week, an attorney representing Kim Sae-ron’s family presented chat history allegedly between the two actors from 2016, when she was 16.
Kim Soo-hyun acknowledged that he dated the actress, but only between 2019 and 2020, when she was an adult.
“I never dated her when she was a minor,” he insisted. “Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like that of any other ordinary couple.”
He also explained why he denied their relationship in March 2024 when Kim Sae-ron posted a photo of them together on Instagram while the Netflix hit show Queen of Tears aired.
“I had so much to protect as its lead actor. What would have happened if I had admitted to a year-long relationship? What would happen to the actors, the staff who were working overnight and the production team who had everything staked on that project?”
Kim added that even if given the chance again, he would make the same choice, as he believed he should not make a decision simply to ease his heart.
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“After becoming an actor, I received an overwhelming amount of love. I was someone who didn’t have much, but suddenly, I became someone with too much to protect,” he said.
“Every time I faced a conflict between being Kim Soo-hyun the person and Kim Soo-hyun the star, I always ended up making choices as Kim Soo-hyun the star.”
Legal Action and Evidence Presentation in Debt Dispute
The second allegation involves claims that GoldMedalist, the agency co-founded by Kim’s relative that represented both actors, pressured Kim Sae-ron to repay a debt, contributing to her suicide.
Kim Sae-ron’s family alleged that GoldMedalist covered the compensation for her 2022 drink-driving incident, for which she was fined 20 million won (S$18,200).
They claim the agency later pursued legal action for repayment and that when the actress asked Kim Soo-hyun for more time to settle the debt, her request went unanswered.
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Kim Soo-hyun refuted claims stating “she made the tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.”
To support his denial, he released a voice recording of a phone call from a year ago, allegedly between his agency and Kim Sae-ron’s representative.
In the recording, the CEO of GoldMedalist appears to explain that the document they sent regarding the debt was merely for “procedural reasons” and that her team could take time to respond.
Kim accused Kim Sae-ron’s family of fabricating the KakaoTalk conversations presented as evidence.
He stated that the individual involved in the exchanges from 2016 and 2018 was not him, based on scientific analysis from a verification institution.
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Immediately after the press conference, Mr Kim Jong-bok, an attorney from LKB & Partners and Kim’s legal representative, announced that Kim Soo-hyun and GoldMedalist have filed a defamation lawsuit against Kim Sae-ron’s family, along with a woman claiming to be Kim Sae-ron’s aunt and the operator of HoverLab, a YouTube channel.
They are seeking approximately 12 billion won (S$10.9 million) in damages with the Seoul Central District Court.
The scandal has generated significant backlash against Kim Soo-hyun, who is known for his roles in multiple hit drama series and films.
Several brands have distanced themselves from him amid the controversy.
On 17 Mar 2025, fashion brand Prada announced it had mutually decided to end its collaboration with him. Korean cosmetic brand Dinto made a similar move.
A Disney+ show starring Kim Soo-hyun has also been put on pause due to the scandal.
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During the press conference, fans showed their support.
Outside the hotel, a parked truck with a digital screen displayed messages in Korean and English from Kim’s fans in Brazil, including phrases such as “Cyberbullying has already taken too many victims. How many more?” and “Words have power.”
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