Kim Sae-ron’s family eyes legal action vs Kim Soo-hyun
(From left) Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron. Images: GoldMedalist
The family of Kim Sae-ron is considering taking legal action against Kim Soo-hyun due to the latter denying that he was indeed in a relationship with the late actress since her teens.
The ex-couple has been making headlines after reports of Soo-hyun, then 27, got together with the then-15-year-old Sae-ron, sparking backlash of the actor allegedly grooming the late child star.
While Soo-hyun’s agency GoldMedalist confirmed that they were indeed in a relationship, it stressed that they started dating when Sae-ron was already an adult. The agency also denied that the actor ignored the “Hi! School Love-On” star’s calls for financial help following her DUI incident in 2022.
In a statement through their legal counsel Atty. Boo Ji-seok, Sae-ron’s family urged the actor to reveal that he started dating her when “she was a minor” and appealed to him and his label for an apology.
“We ask Kim Soo-hyun to admit to dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and issue an official apology. We also demand an apology from his agency, which has denied the relationship for the past three years and even repeated this denial just three days ago,” Boo said, per a Korea Times translation.
Sae-ron’s family also cited the late actress’ pain that she endured due to her involvement with Soo-hyun, noting that she deserves to be recognized for her contributions as a “founding member” of GoldMedalist as well.
“It’s difficult to imagine the emotional distress the late actor must have endured,” Boo said. “We are considering legal action against Kim Soo-hyun.”
Meanwhile, a defamation complaint was filed against content creator Lee Jin-ho for spreading false information which became the cause of the actress’ “extreme psychological distress,” citing it as one of the causes that potentially led to her death.
“Kim Sae-ron suffered severe emotional pressure during her lifetime due to the videos uploaded by Lee Jin-ho,” Boo said. “The defamation charge is just a legal term. We believe Lee’s actions are closer to murder. We hope the seriousness of his conduct is fully reflected in sentencing and that he faces strict punishment.”
Sae-ron died of suicide at 24 years old on February 16. She was best known for her lead roles in “The Man From Nowhere,” “A Brand New Life,” “Hi! School: Love On,” and “Secret Healer.”
