Kim Soo Hyun is at the center of a dating scandal after a YouTube video went viral, alleging that he had a romantic relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron. The video claims that the actor dated Kim Sae-Ron when she was a minor at the age of 15, while the Queen of Tears actor was 27. On February 16, Kim Sae-Ron was found dead at her residence in Seoul. According to the Seongdong Police, the actress died by suicide.
The actor’s controversy is not coming to an end any time soon. There had been back-and-forth of statements and allegations between Kim Soo Hyun and the YouTube channel, Garosero Research Institute. Here’s how the It’s Okay to Not Be Okay actor got dragged into Kim Sae-Ron’s death case and dating controversy.
On March 10, the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, owned by former MBC reporter turned YouTuber Kim Se-Ui, released a video claiming that the late actress Kim Sae-Ron was in a long-term secret relationship with Kim Soo-hyun. In the video, it features statements from Kim Sae-Ron’s aunt, who disclosed that the late actress started dating Kim Soo-hyun, 27, in 2015. At that time, Sae-Ron was barely 15, while Soo-Hyun was 27 years old.
The video further alleges that Kim Sae Ron joined Kim Soo Hyun’s management company, Gold Medalist, in 2019, after opting out of her contract with YG Entertainment. During their alleged romance, she reportedly provided unpaid support to help launch his business, including offering acting lessons and mentoring new talent. The two dated for 6 years before Kim Soo-hyun distanced himself from Sae-Ron due to the DUI scandal in May 2022, which significantly impacted her career.
During the DUI scandal of Kim Sae-Ron, Kim Soo-Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, helped her handle the situation and paid about $483,000 in damages without asking her to pay the money back. While she was grateful, things took a turn when she ended her contract with the Gold Medalist and sent legal notice to pay back the money. When she tried to contact Kim Soo-Hyun, he did not answer her calls.This was around the same time when Kim Soo-Hyun’s drama Queen of Tears was on air. However, to draw attention , Kim Sae-Ron shared a picture with Kim Soo-Hyun on Instagram , but the actor and his company remained unreachable.
As per Kim Sae-Ron’s aunt, the actress died by suicide under the pressure of not being able to pay back $483,000. Soon after the video went viral, Gold Medalist issued a strong statement, dismissing the accusations as “baseless and malicious.” The agency also criticised the Garosero Research Institute YouTube channel for spreading false rumours and threatened to take legal action against them. The Garosero Research Institute refused to back down and instead mocked the agency in a defiant post.
The controversy intensified when a YouTube channel released more content that was reportedly shared by Kim Sae-Ron’s family. Among the evidence was a text message from Kim Sae-Ron to Kim Soo-Hyun, dated March 19, 2023, in which she pleaded for more time to repay the money. The channel also unveiled a 2016 photo showing Kim Soo-hyun kissing Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor at the time, on the cheek.
In the meantime, Kim Soo-Hyun is facing a surge of backlash on social media, with multiple brands and television programs announcing they have severed ties with the actor until further clarification on the issue. Kim Soo Hyun’s Instagram followers had dropped to 20.4 million followers.
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