Kim Sae Ron’s family allegedly accuses Kim Soo Hyun of dating her when she was 15 and later ghosting her, his agency threatens legal action

Almost a year ago, actress Kim Sae Rom and actor Kim Soo Hyun were involved in a brief relationship scandal of sorts when she uploaded a picture of the two together seemingly at random. Back then, his agency denied they were dating and claimed they didn’t know the reason an old photo was posted.

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Recently though, cyberwrecker YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute published a video with an alleged conversation with Kim Sae Ron’s aunt, where she says the two dated for six years, and it started when she was 15 and he was 27. She also ended up following him to GOLD MEDALIST.

When Kim Soo-hyun founded the entertainment agency Gold Medalist, Kim Sae-ron received offers from multiple companies. However, she decided to join his. She dedicated herself to the agency, mentoring rookie actors without any compensation, treating it as if it were her own.
After her DUI incident, which led to financial penalties, Kim Soo-hyun lent her 700 million won. He did not set a deadline for repayment. While in a car with her aunt, Kim Sae-ron confided that although he hadn’t pressured her to return the money, she intended to work hard and pay it back.
However, some time later, she unexpectedly received a formal debt notice for the 700 million won loan. She was devastated, as she had already used all her money to settle contract violation fines. She suspected that the notice had come from Lee Ro-bae, Kim Soo-hyun’s relative and a co-executive at Gold Medalist, rather than Kim Soo-hyun himself. When she tried calling him to confirm, he ignored her calls, even when she used her cousin’s phone.

The aunt explains that the photo late in March with Kim Soo Hyun was the only way to get him to acknowledge her following GOLD MEDALIST demanding repayment earlier in the month even though she left the agency in 2022.

Feeling desperate, Kim Sae-ron attempted to contact reporters, but some doubted whether it was really her. In frustration, she posted an intimate photo with Kim Soo-hyun, believing it was the only way to get his attention. Meanwhile, she reportedly suffered extreme distress whenever former journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin-ho made negative comments about her. These statements were often followed by media articles. The emotional toll became so severe that her family had to watch over her constantly, and her cousin stayed by her side to provide support.

Relatedly, Kim Sae Ron’s father blamed Lee Jin Ho for the death of his daughter in a recent interview.

Notably, Kim Sae Ron allegedly prepared a draft of statement about her relationship with Kim Soo Hyun, but it went unpublished. In it, she states the photo was taken in 2016 and they dated from November 19, 2015 to July 7, 2021.

“Hello, this is Kim Sae Ron.
First, I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt or confused by my mistakes, as well as to those in the media industry.
Regarding the dating rumors spreading in the news, I want to clarify some inaccuracies.
The photo I posted on my story was from 2016. We started dating on November 19, 2015, and ended on July 7, 2021. At the time, I was 16 years old, and he was 30 (in Korean age). Our relationship lasted six years.
As an actress, when it was time to renew my management contract, I explored other agencies. During that process, I discussed a contract with my ex-boyfriend’s company and ultimately signed with Gold Medalist without finalizing the terms. I worked hard, scouting new actors and directing visuals, yet never received proper compensation for my efforts.
Unlike my previous management contract, this time, I signed a renewal agreement under financial loan conditions. When the time came to extend it, I reached out to my agency and Kim Soo Hyun, but both cut off contact. Later, they sent me a threatening legal notice stating that the contract would not be renewed.
In May 2022, my exclusive contract with Gold Medalist officially ended.
I sincerely apologize to the film crew, senior actors, writers, directors, and everyone who contributed to the projects that were affected by this situation.
However, Gold Medalist claiming that they had no idea what my intentions were contradicts their own actions.
I hope they recognize their wrongdoing and offer a proper apology for the harm I endured while under my previous agency.
As an actress, I feel it is my responsibility to clarify the truth for those who have been misled by false portrayals. That is why I have decided to share this post.”

As you can imagine, these allegations have spread quickly throughout the Internet, especially since after her death there was already speculation regarding him and the fact that Kim Sae Ron ended her life on his birthday. Nor did his comments about wanting to marry a 21-year-old when he was 41 help when those resurfaced. The fire was growing is the point.

In response, GOLD MEDALIST announced the intention to sue Garo Sero Institute and categorically denied basically everything.

“The allegations made by GaroSaero Research Institute regarding actor Kim Soo Hyun are entirely false. The channel claimed that our agency and Kim Soo Hyun collaborated with YouTuber Lee Jin Ho to harass the late Kim Sae Ron. They also alleged that Kim Sae Ron was in a romantic relationship with Kim Soo Hyun from the age of 15, that our agency mishandled her DUI incident, and that one of our managers had a close relationship with YouTuber Lee Jin Ho. These accusations are malicious and baseless.”
“We cannot overlook these false claims and are currently reviewing the strongest possible legal actions against the spread of misinformation by GaroSaero Research Institute.”
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Kim Sae Ron, who was once part of our agency. However, the false information being spread by GaroSaero Research Institute only continues the same type of cyber harassment that she suffered while alive. This is not only damaging to our company but also an act of defamation against the late actress. We will take strict action against this.”
“We sincerely request that these groundless rumors no longer be circulated, expanded, or reproduced.”

That doesn’t leave a whole lot of ambiguity in terms of their stance, they’re essentially just saying the whole thing is fabricated.

Garo Sero responded shortly after in their usual scummy way, but relevantly restating that they got the story from her family and alluding to criminal complaints coming.

We didn’t pull this story out of thin air. We broadcasted this based on materials and interviews we received directly from Kim Sae Ron’s bereaved family. If you’re so confident, why don’t you threaten them with legal action too? LOL.

And by the way… tomorrow, a certain someone might find themselves facing legal trouble regarding their past with a minor. Dating a middle school second year student? Surely not…sex with a minor, right? Well, we’ll see. Someone is preparing to file a criminal complaint.
If you secretly try to pressure and silence the bereaved family, we’ll know. And you should know what happens next.

Well, that should be easy enough to just wait for.