South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has been cleared of allegations that he violated the country’s Child Welfare Act after the police decided not to refer the case for prosecution.
The Seoul Seongdong Police Station concluded its investigation into the allegations against the 38-year-old, finding no grounds to forward the case to prosecutors.
The case stemmed from a criminal complaint filed in May 2025 by the family of late South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron who alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with her when she was 15, dating back to her second year of middle school.
They accused him of violating the Child Welfare Act, among other offences.
Kim Soo-hyun’s side has since acknowledged that the two dated, but consistently denied that the relationship began while Kim Sae-ron was underage.
The actor’s representatives also maintained that an audio recording released by her family – in which a speaker, purportedly Kim Sae-ron, claimed she had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun since middle school – had been fabricated using artificial intelligence.
The police ultimately decided not to pursue the case, rejecting the allegations brought against the actor.
The move follows Kim Soo-hyun returning to the public eye in July after a year-long hiatus, with the actor filming a commercial for a Philippine fashion brand on July 14.
Kim Sae-ron was found dead at the age of 24 at her home in Seoul’s Seongdong district in February 2025.
Her acting career had largely come to a halt following a drink driving incident in May 2022. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
