Actor Kim Soo-hyun denied allegations that he dated late actor Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor, stating that she was already an adult when the relationship began in the summer of 2019 and that it lasted for just over a year until fall 2020.

His agency, Gold Medalist, issued a statement on Friday refuting the claims made by the far-right political YouTube channel Hoverlab.


The agency originally planned to respond next week but decided to release a statement early, saying that Kim Soo-hyun was experiencing emotional distress over the accusations, online comments and false information spreading online.

Gold Medalist dismissed the claims made by the YouTube channel on March 11 that the two actors dated since 2015 when Kim Sae-ron was 15, arguing that the photos presented during the YouTube channel’s live session as evidence were taken after she had turned 18.

“All photos used to claim an underage relationship were taken when she was legally an adult,” the agency said, adding that the T-shirt worn by the late actor, for example, was released by the specific brand in 2019, “which proves that the photo could not have been taken in 2016 as Hoverlab falsely claimed.”

The agency also stated that it has metadata of the photographs confirming when the photographs were taken.

It also rejected claims that Kim Soo-hyun was responsible for Kim Sae-ron’s financial struggles before her death. The agency stated that it covered her outstanding debts related to her 2022 DUI accident, which reportedly totaled 1.14 billion won ($860,000). Gold Medalist, a company founded by Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin in 2019, had represented her during that period.

Gold Medalist clarified that it worked to reduce her financial burden, which came down to 700 million won and ultimately wrote off her remaining debt in December 2023.

The agency stated that the financial issue was between Kim Sae-ron and Gold Medalist and that Kim Soo-hyun had no personal financial ties with Kim Sae-ron and never pressured her to repay the money.

Gold Medalist criticized Hoverlab of manipulating facts, misrepresenting dates and altering context.

“This is a deeply personal matter that has been twisted into a public spectacle,” the agency stated. “False information is spreading like wildfire, causing immense harm to Kim Soo-hyun and those close to him.”

The agency also added that the actor has been “in extreme distress due to claims that he was responsible” for the death of the late actor Kim Sae-ron.

“We acknowledge that public scrutiny and criticism toward Kim Soo-hyun are inevitable. However, being a public figure does not mean he must accept false accusations and personal attacks without question.”


BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]