South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding his alleged relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron for the first time. Speaking tearfully at a press conference on Monday, the 37-year-old actor denied accusations made by a YouTube channel in March, which claimed he had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor. Kim has consistently refuted these claims.
“I did not date her when she was a minor,” Kim stated during the emotional event, where he chose not to answer any questions. “Apart from being actors, we were just an ordinary couple. We had feelings for each other, and over time, we naturally drifted apart. After that, we rarely kept in touch.”
Following the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun’s lawyer, along with his agency Goldmedalist, announced legal action against several parties, including the YouTube channel and Kim Sae-ron’s family, citing defamation and breaches of information protection laws. Requests for comment have been made to Kim Sae-ron’s family.
Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in February at the age of 24, nearly two years after she had stepped away from the public eye following a drunk-driving incident that led to significant public criticism and damage to her reputation.
The allegations triggered an intense online backlash against Kim Soo Hyun despite his firm denials. His agency clarified that the relationship occurred when both actors were adults.
The scandal has had a swift impact on Kim’s career, with luxury fashion brand Prada and Korean cosmetics company Dinto ending their partnerships with him shortly after the controversy surfaced. Kim Soo Hyun, a beloved figure in South Korea and across Asia, is renowned for his roles in acclaimed dramas such as It’s Okay to Not be Okay and My Love from the Star.
During the press conference on Monday, Kim Soo Hyun also apologized for remaining silent when allegations about his relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron surfaced last year. He admitted that his hesitation was due to concerns about the potential impact on his recently released Netflix series, Queen of Tears.
“If you want to criticize me for being cowardly or selfish, I will accept that,” he said.
Kim Sae-ron, who rose to fame as a child actor, saw her career face significant setbacks after a car accident in South Korea’s capital in 2022. In April 2023, a Seoul court found her guilty of driving under the influence. She was fined approximately $14,000 but avoided jail time.
Kim Soo Hyun also addressed the circulation of text messages online, claiming that many of them, supposedly exchanged between him and Kim Sae-ron, were fabricated.
As for Kim Sae-ron’s death, there were no signs of foul play, and authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her passing.
