SEOUL – The tragic suicide of a young actor and allegations of an inappropriate relationship have ignited a heated debate in South Korea, prompting a deeper look into how society treats celebrities during crises. The intense media scrutiny and harsh online commentary often exacerbate the challenges faced by those in the public eye.
This week, actor Kim Soo-hyun addressed claims that he had a relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. The emotional press conference followed Kim Sae-ron's suicide in February, which revived speculation about their romantic involvement.
Here’s a breakdown of the situation:
Kim Sae-ron was a rising star in South Korean cinema, debuting at age 9 in the film "A Brand New Life," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She continued to gain recognition for her roles in "The Man from Nowhere" (2010) and "A Girl at My Door" (2014), both of which were also invited to Cannes.
However, her career was derailed in May 2022 when she was involved in a drunk driving incident in Seoul. Despite issuing a public apology and reportedly compensating businesses affected by the resulting power outage, she became the target of relentless negative attention.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Individuals in South Korea needing support can access 24-hour counseling through the suicide prevention hotline at 1577-0199, the "Life Line" service at 1588-9191, the "Hope Phone" at 129, and the "Youth Phone" at 1388.
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Her personal life came under intense scrutiny from media outlets and online commentators. YouTube gossip channels accused her of exaggerating financial difficulties and questioned her sincerity. Critics and her family believe that this intense pressure contributed to her declining mental health.
Kim Sae-ron took her own life on February 16, which was also Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday.
Kim Soo-hyun, 37, is also a prominent actor in South Korea, known for his roles in dramas such as "My Love from the Star" (2013) and "Queen of Tears" (2024), as well as films like "The Thieves" (2012) and "Secretly, Greatly" (2013).
Rumors of a relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron began last year when she posted a photo of them together, which was quickly deleted. Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, denied the relationship, according to South Korean media reports.
Following Kim Sae-ron's death, a YouTube channel known as HoverLab alleged that she and Kim Soo-hyun had a six-year relationship that began in 2015, when she was 15 and he was in his late 20s. The channel claimed to have evidence, including photos, videos, and letters, which Kim Soo-hyun has dismissed as fabricated.
Kim Sae-ron's family reportedly approached HoverLab to release the materials in an attempt to restore her image.
On March 27, a lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron's family presented journalists with what they claimed was a photo of an undelivered letter from 2024, in which Kim Sae-ron described Kim Soo-hyun as her "first and last love" and alluded to a five-to-six-year relationship.
According to the lawyer, the letter was written after Kim Sae-ron was unable to contact Kim Soo-hyun to discuss a debt she owed to his agency. After her contract ended and was not renewed, the agency allegedly demanded that she repay 700 million won (approximately $520,000) in damages related to her drunk driving case, which her family says placed her under immense pressure.
Kim Soo-hyun has admitted to dating Kim Sae-ron but maintains that their relationship began after she reached adulthood. He has refuted claims of an underage relationship as false and damaging.
"It is also not true that the deceased made a tragic choice because of my avoidance or because my agency pressured her about debt," Kim stated during Monday's press conference.
He declined to answer questions about when he first met Kim Sae-ron.
The legality of the alleged relationship hinges on the timing. South Korea raised its age of sexual consent from 13 to 16 in 2020. Kim Sae-ron was born in 2000, and her family alleges that the relationship began in 2015, when she was 15 and Kim Soo-hyun was 27.
Kim Soo-hyun asserts that their relationship lasted from summer 2019 to fall 2020, when Kim Sae-ron was a legal adult.
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency has initiated legal action against Kim Sae-ron's family and HoverLab, accusing them of distributing private photos and videos, including images of the actor kissing the late actress. The agency stated that Kim Sae-ron had visited his apartment with his family present and that they were not dating at the time.
On Monday, Kim Soo-hyun’s lawyer announced a civil lawsuit seeking 12 billion won (approximately $8.15 million) in damages from the YouTube channel and Kim Sae-ron’s family, along with criminal complaints alleging defamation and violation of privacy laws. Kim Soo-hyun and his agency have also sued the YouTube channel operator for stalking.
The family's legal representative and HoverLab have both announced plans to sue Kim Soo-hyun and his agency for making false claims about his relationship with Kim Sae-ron.
Kim's death has reignited criticism of South Korea's tabloid and digital media culture. Her family has pointed to videos with speculative and unverified content that portrayed her as emotionally unstable and morally questionable.
Pursuing defamation lawsuits is often a challenging and expensive undertaking for South Korean celebrities, as many platforms, such as YouTube, are based overseas. Punishments are typically lenient, involving fines or suspended sentences.
Other high-profile cases involving negative online attention include the deaths of K-pop singers Sulli and Goo Hara in 2019 and "Parasite" actor Lee Sun-kyun in 2023.
Fashion brand Prada has terminated its collaboration with Kim Soo-hyun. South Korean cosmetics company Dinto has also ended its one-year contract with him, citing the seriousness of the controversy. 7-Eleven Taiwan canceled a Kim Soo-hyun fan event last month due to schedule changes.
An online petition calling for the age of consent to be raised from 16 to 19 has garnered nearly 40,000 signatures on the National Assembly's website.
Proposed reforms aimed at curbing harsh online comments in South Korea have yet to be enacted.