Actor Kim Soo-Hyun Denies Grooming Late Actress Kim Sae-ron

Popular South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun, 37, held an emotional press conference on Monday in Seoul to confront allegations that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. Sae-ron, who died by suicide at age 24 this February, had previously starred in Netflix productions.

Soo-hyun acknowledged dating Sae-ron for approximately a year when she was an adult but vehemently denied the accusations of grooming her as an underage teen. “I never dated her when she was a minor,” he asserted tearfully, according to the BBC. “Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like that of any other ordinary couple.”

The scandal ignited in early March when a YouTube channel called HoverLab released videos and photos purporting to show evidence of a six-year relationship between Soo-hyun and Sae-ron beginning when she was 15 years old, as reported by The Hankyoreh. In South Korea, anyone under 19 is legally considered a juvenile.

Sae-ron’s family later held their own press conference, where their attorney presented alleged KakaoTalk messages exchanged between the two actors in 2016 when Sae-ron would have been 16. Soo-hyun’s agency, GoldMedalist, initially denied the claims before clarifying the pair had dated from 2019-2020, according to The Independent.

On Monday, Soo-hyun defended his previous denial of the relationship in 2024 during the airing of his Netflix drama Queen of Tears after Sae-ron had posted and deleted an Instagram photo of them together. “I had so much to protect as its lead actor,” he explained. “What would have happened if I had admitted to a year-long relationship?”

Beyond the grooming allegations, Sae-ron’s family also accused GoldMedalist, which represented Sae-ron from 2020-2022, of aggressively pressuring the actress to repay debts owed to Soo-hyun related to legal fees from her 2022 drunk driving case. Soo-hyun denied those claims, stating Sae-ron did not make “the tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.”

As evidence refuting the screenshots provided by Sae-ron’s family, Soo-hyun stated a forensic analysis determined the KakaoTalk messages from 2016 and 2018 involved “a completely different person.” He called the evidence presented “fake” and “false testimony” intended to portray him as “a pedophile and a groomer.”

The scandal has severely impacted Soo-hyun’s career, with brands like Prada ending partnerships and Disney+ pausing a show starring the actor. “Many people are suffering because of me,” Soo-hyun said, apologizing to fans and staff. “I also feel sorry that the late actress [Kim Sae-ron] isn’t able to rest in peace.”

Soo-hyun has filed criminal complaints against Sae-ron’s family and HoverLab, as well as a civil lawsuit seeking ₩12 billion KRW ($8.1 million USD) in damages. He reiterated at the press conference: “I can’t admit something I didn’t do.”