According to Gold Medalist, Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult. Photos: Screenshot from HoverLab's YouTube channel, Kim Soo-hyun/Instagram
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, stated Friday in a press release that the actor began dating late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was an adult and was never personally involved in her financial matters.
The agency's statement came in response to allegations surrounding Kim Soo-hyun made by far-right YouTube channel, HoverLab. In a video uploaded Monday, HoverLab claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had been dating for six years, starting in 2015 when Kim Sae-ron was 15 and Kim Soo-hyun was 27.
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.
"Gold Medalist has announced that it would release an official statement based on verifiable evidence, next week, to refute the claims made by HoverLab," the press statement read.
“However, early this morning, Kim Soo-hyun showed symptoms of significant psychological distress and the company took steps to ensure his absolute rest. 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," it added.
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 parking lot until dawn, and by Thursday lunchtime, people with cameras were seen circling around the building, increasing the psychological pressure on Kim Soo-hyun."
The agency cited this as a key reason for the agency's decision to release an early response.
According to Gold Medalist, Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult. Kim Sae-ron was born in 2000, while Kim Soo-hyun was born in 1988.
They added that the photos of the two released by HoverLab were taken in 2019 and 2020.
The agency addressed the letter released by HoverLab allegedly sent from Kim Soo-hyun to Kim Sae-ron while the actor completed his mandatory military service. In the letter, Kim Soo-hyun allegedly called Kim Sae-ron by the affectionate nickname "Saero-naero" and told her he missed her. The letters were dated 2018.
The agency emphasised that the letters were among those Kim Soo-hyun sent to close acquaintances during his military service and not letters sent between lovers.
The agency also denied claims that Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist pressured Kim Sae-ron to repay a debt of 700mil won, by sending her a certified notice demanding repayment.
HoverLab on Tuesday released a screenshot of a message Kim Sae-ron sent to Kim Soo-hyun, in which she pleaded for more time to gather money to repay a debt. This fueled speculation that financial pressure contributed to Kim Sae-ron’s passing on Feb 16.
Gold Medalist denied the allegations, stating that the certified notice was not an attempt to pressure Kim Sae-ron 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," the agency explained.
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."
Gold Medalist 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
