Kim Soo-hyun Flatly Denies Dating Kim Sae-ron as a Minor, While Her Friends Prepare Statement

In the wake of actress Kim Sae-ron’s tragic passing, a new controversy has emerged involving actor Kim Soo-hyun. According to a report by TV Chosun’s 'Case File 24' aired on April 1, the legal representative for Kim Sae-ron’s family claimed that her friends were aware of her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun.

The lawyer stated, “We were hoping for a sincere apology from Kim Soo-hyun, but there hasn’t been one, which is deeply disappointing.” He also revealed that “at least eight of Kim Sae-ron’s friends knew she was dating Kim Soo-hyun since her teenage years.” He added that these friends were so frustrated after seeing Kim Soo-hyun’s press conference that they were drafting a public statement that could be released soon.

The attorney continued, “Even if he had said something like, ‘We had mutual feelings when she was a minor, but our relationship only became official once she became an adult,’ that would have been enough. But instead, he denied everything.”

At a press conference held on March 31 at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Seoul, Kim Soo-hyun strongly denied all allegations, stating, “I did not date Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor,” and “It is also untrue that she took her life due to pressure from my agency regarding debt.”

He further claimed that evidence being circulated, such as photos and KakaoTalk conversations, had been manipulated or taken out of context. “These edited images are being used as so-called ‘proof’ that we were in a relationship, and false testimonies continue to emerge based on that.”

Kim Soo-hyun said he had submitted the KakaoTalk messages released by the family to a verification institute, which concluded the conversations from 2016 and 2018 were not from the same person. He also questioned the authenticity of other conversations allegedly involving Kim Sae-ron, saying, “If she really wrote them, she wouldn’t have gotten my age, agency name, or contract dates wrong.”

He released a transcript of a conversation between the heads of his and Kim Sae-ron’s agencies regarding a second official notice and claimed that the voice recording cited by the family was actually recorded after the allegations surfaced.

“I will undergo full investigation by the authorities to verify every piece of so-called ‘evidence’ presented by the family,” he said. “If it is truly authentic, then it should be submitted to the investigation team and verified through legal procedures.”

Kim Soo-hyun became emotional as he said, “I can take all the criticism for things I’ve done. But I cannot take the blame for something I didn’t do. If I lie because of pressure, I’d be betraying everyone who ever trusted and supported me.”

He added, “I won’t ask you to believe me—I’ll prove it.”

He described how long it took for him to come forward: “I’ve always thought I was a coward. Every time something about my private life was leaked, I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll just tell everything tomorrow and end this nightmare.’”

“What will they expose or twist today to make me look like a murderer?” he said. “Too many people are suffering because of me, and I am truly sorry.” He also expressed sadness over Kim Sae-ron’s passing, saying, “I don’t think she is at peace, and that breaks my heart.”

Gold Medalist, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, has officially filed a lawsuit against the late actress’s family. Attorney Kim Jong-bok from LKB & Partners, who accompanied Kim Soo-hyun at the press conference, revealed that they had filed a damage claim worth approximately 12 billion KRW at the Seoul Central District Court. The lawsuit names the family, an unidentified person claiming to be Kim Sae-ron’s aunt, and the operators of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute.

Kim Sae-ron was found deceased in her Seoul residence on February 16. She was 25. Following her death, her family claimed via Garo Sero Institute that she had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun from November 19, 2015—when she was 15—until July 7, 2021. Born in 2000, Kim Sae-ron was 12 years younger than Kim Soo-hyun, who was born in 1988.

In response, Gold Medalist stated, “These are clearly false accusations, and we are preparing to respond with strong legal action.”