Actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated when they were legally adults: Agency

SEOUL – South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Goldmedalist, said in a press statement on March 14 that he began dating late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was an adult and was never personally involved in her financial matters.

The statement came in response to recent allegations about Kim Soo-hyun made by YouTube channel Hoverlab. Kim Sae-ron, 24, who rose to fame as a child star in the thriller film The Man From Nowhere (2010), was

found dead at her home in Seoul on Feb 16.

In a video uploaded on March 10, Hoverlab

claimed that Kim Soo-hyun, now 37, and Kim Sae-ron had dated for six years,

starting in 2015 when she was 15 and he was 27. 

According to Goldmedalist – an agency established by Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin – the actors dated from the summer of 2019, after she became an adult, to the autumn of 2020. Kim Sae-ron was born in July 2000, while Kim Soo-hyun was born in February 1988.

She was previously also managed by Goldmedalist and left the agency in 2022 following a drink-driving accident in May that year.

The agency added that the photos of the two released by Hoverlab were taken in 2019 and 2020.

Though the company had announced it would address the claims next week, it decided to release its official stance early due to concerns over Kim Soo-hyun’s psychological distress caused by the allegations.

“Goldmedalist had announced that it would release an official statement next week based on verifiable evidence to refute the claims made by Hoverlab,” the press statement read.

However, it added: “After Hoverlab’s report, Kim Soo-hyun has been going through extreme stress due to claims that he is responsible for the sudden death of the deceased.”

The statement also detailed incidents of surveillance.

“Also, on Wednesday night after Hoverlab’s broadcast ended, a car with people holding cameras stood parked across from the company’s main entrance and in the carpark until dawn. By Thursday lunchtime, people with cameras were seen circling the building, increasing the psychological pressure on Kim Soo-hyun.”

Goldmedalist cited this as a key reason for its decision to give an early response.

The agency also addressed a letter released by Hoverlab, allegedly sent to Kim Sae-ron from Kim Soo-hyun while he was fulfilling his mandatory military service.

In it, the star of It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020) and Queen Of Tears (2024) allegedly called Kim Sae-ron by the affectionate nickname “Saero-naero” and told her he missed her. The letter was dated 2018.

The agency emphasised that the letter was among those Kim Soo-hyun sent to close acquaintances during his military service and not one sent to a lover.

Goldmedalist also denied claims that the actor and the agency pressured Kim Sae-ron to repay a debt of 700 million won (S$643,000), by sending her a certified notice demanding repayment.

Hoverlab on March 11 released a screenshot of a message Kim Sae-ron sent to Kim Soo-hyun, in which she pleaded for more time to repay a debt. This fuelled speculation that financial pressure contributed to her death.

Goldmedalist denied the allegations, stating that the certified notice was not an attempt to pressure her, but a necessary step to comply with legal and accounting regulations.

“If the company were to voluntarily cover the penalty fees (for Kim Sae-ron), there was a risk that the executives who made the decision could be charged with breach of trust, and the expenses might not be recognised as deductible business costs,” it said.

The agency strongly rejected claims linking the debt issue to Kim Sae-ron’s death, stating: “Linking the cause of death to this incident a year later is difficult to accept.”

Goldmedalist also stressed that Kim Soo-hyun was never personally involved.

“The statements that Kim Soo-hyun personally lent Kim Sae-ron money, or tried to get it back suddenly, are unfounded,” it said. “Kim Soo-hyun never lent money to Kim Sae-ron, never demanded repayment and was not in a position to do so.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK