17-Year-Old Kim Sae-ron Cooks Late-Night Meal for 30-Year-Old Man? Lee Jin-ho Accuses Evidence Tampering, Leading to Heated Debate
On April 2, Lee Jin-ho posted two videos titled “Shocking Exclusive! Why is there a suspicion of manipulation in Kim Soo-hyun‘s dakdoritang video? The eerie truth about Kim Sae-ron!” and “The decisive evidence is in Kim Sae-ron’s photos… The manipulation behind the scenes!” In the videos, Jin-ho claimed that the evidence presented by Garo Sero, which allegedly proved a romantic relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, was fabricated.
Lee Jin-ho Claims Evidence Tampering in Kim Soo-hyun Scandal
First, Jin-ho raised concerns about a video that Garo Sero had shown during a live broadcast on March 31, claiming it was proof of a 2018 date between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron involving Dakbokkeumtang (a Korean chicken dish). He pointed out that in 2018, Kim Sae-ron was a 19-year-old minor, and the video clearly showed Kim Soo-hyun’s face, making it an important piece of evidence. However, Jin-ho argued that Kim Soo-hyun was not dating Kim Sae-ron at that time and that their families were present on the day of the supposed date.
Jin-ho further questioned the video’s authenticity, noting that its file extension was not the default iPhone format but rather mp4, indicating it had been edited using encoding software.
Additionally, the aspect ratio of the video was 23:31, an unusual ratio for an iPhone video, which typically uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. Jin-ho speculated that this suggested the video had been cropped and re-encoded, possibly to hide certain parts of the footage. He questioned the reasons behind the alleged manipulation.
Public Divided on Kim Soo-hyun’s Actions with Minor
Jin-ho also addressed the text messages between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron released by Garo Sero, claiming there were growing suspicions of tampering. He argued that Garo Sero had failed to conduct basic forensic analysis and had reconstructed the key materials before releasing them. He presented counter-evidence, including photos released by Kim Soo-hyun’s agency that refuted Garo Sero’s claims about the relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron.
Kim Soo-hyun’s representatives clarified that a photo released by Garo Sero, which allegedly showed a kiss between the two when Kim Sae-ron was 16, was taken in 2019 when both individuals were adults. They also explained that a photo from 2018, showing Kim Sae-ron at Kim Soo-hyun’s home, was a group photo taken during a vacation with Kim Soo-hyun’s family and that the two were not romantically involved at the time.
Despite these clarifications, public opinion has been divided, with many questioning Kim Soo-hyun’s actions of inviting a minor to his house at night to cook dakdoritang. The controversy centers on whether it was appropriate for Kim Soo-hyun, a 30-year-old man, to invite a 17-year-old minor to his home for such an activity, even if they were not in a romantic relationship.
Kim Sae-ron’s Family Files Lawsuits Against Lee Jin-ho
Jin-ho’s video garnered mixed responses from netizens. Some pointed out inconsistencies in the video footage, suggesting that the Garo Sero video had been edited to remove key details, while others raised fundamental questions about the appropriateness of the situation involving a 17-year-old minor and a 30-year-old man.
However, in videos where Kim Soo-hyun’s representatives’ rebuttals were discussed, some netizens expressed support for the truth to be revealed, with comments such as “Truth will prevail over ugly lies” and “The agency should have revealed these materials earlier in a press conference.”
In a related legal development, Kim Sae-ron’s family filed a defamation lawsuit against Lee Jin-ho on March 17, accusing him of spreading false information about their late daughter. They also filed an additional complaint on March 27 for alleged violations of the stalking punishment law, accusing Lee Jin-ho of invading their privacy and spreading rumors.
Kim Sae-ron’s mother sent a statement to the Gaseyeon channel, stating, “Our goal is to restore the honor of our child, who was destroyed by numerous false articles,” and expressing a desire to hold malicious YouTubers and cyber attackers accountable under the law.
The family’s lawyer, Boo Ji-seok, from Boo Yoo Law Firm, also criticized Lee Jin-ho for spreading false information and causing extreme mental distress to the family. They announced plans for further legal action related to additional videos.
In response, Lee Jin-ho posted a message on his community page, clarifying that the temporary measures taken against him were not based on the truth of the allegations, and that he had not yet been questioned by authorities. He emphasized that he would continue to pursue the truth and planned to appeal the temporary measures in order to clear his name.
This ongoing legal and social controversy has sparked intense debate online about the boundaries of privacy, the ethics of media reporting, and the responsibility of influencers in spreading information.