The agency of South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun said on May 27 that “the truth is being confirmed through due legal process and a thorough investigation”, following the arrest of a YouTuber who led accusations that the actor dated late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was underage.
In a statement released a day after the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant on May 26 for Kim Se-ui, head of HoverLab which runs the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency Gold Medalist said the ruling showed the allegations and evidence presented against him were false.
Kim Se-ui is facing allegations including defamation for spreading false claims on YouTube and other platforms that Kim Soo-hyun had a relationship with Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor.
Kim Se-ui is also accused of using artificial intelligence to manipulate Kim Sae-ron’s voice in content intended to defame the actor. The court, in allowing his arrest, cited concerns that he could destroy evidence or flee.
The dispute stems from online allegations after Kim Sae-ron died at age 24 in February 2025. Kim Soo-hyun, 38, held a press conference in March 2025 acknowledging that he had previously dated the late actress, but denied allegations that she had been a minor during the relationship.
At the time, the actor said: “I won’t ask you to trust me. I will prove it.”
On May 27, Gold Medalist said Kim Soo-hyun had spent the past year trying to keep that promise and thanked supporters who had continued to stand by him.
The actor later filed criminal complaints against Kim Se-ui and members of Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family on charges including defamation through the spread of false information. – The Korea Herald/ANN
