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Kim Soo-Hyun is one of the most popular celebrities in South Korea
South Korean actor Kim Soo-Hyun, known for his roles in several successful dramatic series and films, made a public appearance in tears at a press conference on Monday to refuse the allegations made by the family of actress Kim Sae-Ron who died in apparent suicide in February.
“I can’t admit something I haven’t done,” he said.
In the center of the controversy there are two main allegations: that Kim Soo-Hyun came out with Kim Sae-Ron when she was only 15 years old, and that the agency of Kim Soo-Hyun put her to repay a debt that she had before her death.
The controversy shocked the country and its entertainment industry, and generated massive reactions against the actor.
Kim cried saying that although he went out with the actress for a year when she was an adult, they never went out with her when she was a minor.
Monday’s press conference on Monday occurred after weeks of accusations and counter-accusation between Kim Sae-Ron family and Kim Soo-Hyun camp following his death.
The scandal broke out on March 10, less than a month after the death of Kim Sae-Ron. A YouTube channel, known for its controversial political content, said that the two have been dated for six years, at the age of 15. The channel has since published videos and photos that she claims to have been taken during their relationship.
Last week, the lawyer representing the family of Kim Sae-Ron held a press conference, revealing more cat stories that allegedly between the two actors in 2016, at the age of 16.
The agency of Kim Soo-Hyun initially denied the allegations but later said that they were released, but only between 2019 and 2020, when it was an adult.
The actor himself had remained silent until Monday. During the press conference, he became emotional, reiterating to journalists that they only released two adults.
“Many people suffer because of me,” he said, apologizing to his fans and staff. “I’m also sorry that the deceased actress (Kim Sae-Ron) is unable to rest in peace.”
“I never went out with her when she was a minor,” he continued. “With the exception of the fact that we were both of the actors, our relationship was like that of any other ordinary couple.”
He also explained why he had denied the relationship when she downloaded a photo deleted later from the two on his Instagram account in 2024 when the Netflix Queen of Tears show, in which he played the main role.
“I had so much to protect that his main actor. What would have happened if I had admitted a one-year relationship? What would happen to the actors, to the staff who worked overnight and to the production team who had marked everything on this project?” He said. “The more I thought about it, the more I thought it should not be what I do.”
Any admission of a romantic relationship or a partner is always considered scandalous for fans of the entertainment industry in South Korea, where the personal life of celebrities undergoes a meticulous examination.
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Kim Sae-Ron was considered one of the most promising young actresses in South Korea
Kim Sae-Ron herself was the victim of fans’ online hatred after being sentenced to a fine of 20 million won (£ 11,000; $ 14,000) for a drink driving incident in 2022.
Before that, it was considered one of the most promising young actresses in South Korea.
At the time, it was managed by the same agency as Kim Soo-Hyun, which was co-founded by its parent. Kim Sae-Ron joined GoldMedalist in January 2020 and left in December 2022.
Kim Sae-Ron’s family said Goldmedalialist covered compensation for their drunkenness incident. They allege that the agency then continued a legal action for reimbursement and that, although the actress asked Kim Soo-Hyun to settle the debt, her request remained unanswered.
Monday, Kim Soo-Hyun denied the assertions that “she made a tragic choice because of me or my agency which put it on a debt”.
He published a vocal recording of a telephone call from a year ago, allegedly between his agency and the representative of Kim Sae-Ron.
In the recording, the CEO of Goldmedalist seems to explain that the document they sent to him concerning the debt was simply for “procedural reasons” and that his team could take the time to respond.
He also accused Kim Sae-Ron’s family of manipulating discussion files as proof and said that he had submitted his own evidence to the authorities concerned for verification. He urged his family to do the same.
Kim Soo-Hyun, 37, is an actor in the South Korea list, known for his roles in several successful dramatic series and the most profitable films, including my love of the star, the queen of tears from Netflix and the film secretly, greatly.
He was also a favorite among the country’s advertisers, although many brands have now moved away from him in the middle of the controversy. On March 17, the Prada fashion brand announced that it had mutually decided to end its collaboration with him, according to Reuters. This followed similar movements from Dinto, a brand of Korean cosmetics.
A Disney + show that features Kim Soo-Hyun was also paused due to the scandal, according to the local media Yonhap.
His lawyer said on Monday that they had filed a criminal complaint against the Kim Sae-Ron family and the YouTube channel operator, as well as a civil trial for damages worth 12 billion Wons.
His family did not comment on the prosecution or his latest remarks.
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