Kang Kyung-yoon Sues ‘Garosero’ Kim Se-ui: “Never Been to New Jersey, Late Kim Sae-ron’s Audio Is Fake”
“I have filed a complaint against Mr. Kim Se-ui of the Garosero Research Institute,” Kang Kyung-yoon wrote on her personal blog on May 8. “Today, I submitted the complaint and earnestly asked the authorities to proceed with the investigation as quickly as possible.”
She added, “What happened yesterday (May 7) was truly shocking. I never imagined Mr. Kim Se-ui would hold such a press conference. I had only heard of the dangers of deep learning and deepfakes through the media—but I never thought it would happen to me.”
At the press conference, Kim Se-ui claimed he received a tip from a whistleblower based in New Jersey, USA—whom Kang labeled as “a scammer who had also contacted her around early April”.
“I never trust these types of informants—those who are after money and whose identity is unclear,” she wrote. “So I just ignored it. I vaguely believed people around me would do the same because the scent of a ‘scammer’ was so strong.”
The released audio allegedly captured a conversation between the late Kim Sae-ron and the whistleblower on January 10. The voice used vulgar language and discussed private matters involving actor Kim Soo-hyun and reporter Kang.
Kang declared, “Anyone can see that the voice of the deceased was manipulated with AI to suit their own intentions.”
Friends of the late actress reportedly contacted Kang after the press conference, saying, “Reporter, my friend is not someone who would speak with such foul language,” and “We are so shocked and upset by how far this has gone.” Kang emphasized, “The deep learning audio attributed to the deceased is clearly false, without even needing to analyze it.”
She also firmly denied claims from Kim Se-ui that she had traveled to New Jersey to threaten the informant. “After watching the press conference, my husband told me to quickly obtain my immigration records.” Kang subsequently released her travel logs from January 1 to May 5, 2025, proving she never entered New Jersey.
“I have never set foot in New Jersey, USA,” she insisted. “I was suspicious of the informant and never even spoke to them on the phone.”
Concluding her post, she stated, “I hope the police will conduct a swift investigation, not just to protect my own honor, but so that this hellish confusion can finally come to an end.”
Who is Kang Kyung-yoon?
Kang Kyung-yoon is a prominent journalist at SBS, renowned for her investigative work in the Korean entertainment sector. She gained national attention for exposing the Burning Sun scandal in 2019, implicating several K-pop idols such as Seungri (Big Bang), Jung Joon-young, and Choi Jong-hoon.
She was the first to obtain and release forensic evidence from Jung Joon-young’s phone, revealing illicit group chats involving illegal footage, sexual misconduct, and prostitution. Her dogged investigation played a vital role in law enforcement efforts and ignited crucial discussions about abuse and accountability in the entertainment industry.