Kim Soo-hyun's agency has taken legal action against late Kim Sae-ron's family and YouTuber Kim Sae-eui, the operator of Garo Sero Research Institute amid controversy over the South Korean actors' alleged relationship.
According to Korean media reports, the agency, Gold Medalist, filed criminal complaints after an alleged butt naked photo of Kim Soo-hyun, reportedly at Kim Sae-ron's house, was shown during a LIVE broadcast on Kim Sae-eui's YouTube channel.
It is being said that the official complaint also includes an unnamed individual who claims to be Kim Sae-ron's aunt and is accused of supplying the photo to Kim Sae-eui.
On March 20, Gold Medalist released an official statement on social media and announced that they had taken legal action against Kim Sae-eui for broadcasting the alleged photo of Kim Soo-hyun. The charges fall under violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, specifically regarding the distribution of photos taken without consent.
The agency strongly condemned the circulation of the photo, and stated that it was taken when Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, both consenting adults at the time, were in a relationship.
The agency further stated, "This image was never meant to be made public, nor is there any reason for it to be shared. Broadcasting such a photo is a clear criminal act, and 'Garo Sero Research Institute' has even threatened to release more such images in the future. Given the severity of the situation, we have no choice but to take strict legal action."
They highlighted that 'distributing or publicly displaying unauthorised images that could cause sexual embarrassment is a serious crime' and urged that such violations should not be repeated.
What is the controversy?
Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun has found himself entangled in multiple allegations following Kim Sae-ron's passing. Gaseyeon, in collaboration with the late actress' family, claimed in a video that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship from 2015 to 2021 - starting when she was a minor.
Reportedly, they further alleged that despite her financial struggles after her 2022 DUI incident, Kim Soo-hyun pressured her to repay a loan of 700 million KRW (approximately Rs 45,321,936) that she had taken to cover the accident's settlement.
However, Kim Soo-hyun's representatives have denied these allegations, clarifying that he was never in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that he never demanded repayment of the debt. His agency also stated that the entire loan amount had been written off and that they had never requested any form of reimbursement.
Kim Sae-ron died by suicide at her Seoul residence on February 16.
