On February 16, actress Kim Sae-ron tragically passed away at 25. In an interview with Ilgan Sports on March 9, Kim Sae-ron’s father claimed that cyber “wreckers” like Lee Jin-ho and the indiscriminate coverage of their videos by the press caused immense suffering for Sae-ron and her family, turning their lives into a living hell. Even now, the pain has not ended for them.
Harassment Even After Her Passing
Worried about potential secondary harm to his family, Kim Sae-ron’s father requested that any other family members participating in the interview be referred to simply as “family.” He explained that both Lee Jin-ho and a journalist from a media outlet contacted him the day after Kim Sae-ron’s funeral.
Kim Sae-ron’s father revealed that Lee Jin-ho repeatedly called him, even during the funeral period, asking if it was true that Sae-ron suffered because of him.
He continued, “Lee Jin-ho asked if it was true that I said Sae-ron suffered because of him, as reported by Professor Kwon Young-chan (of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association), who visited the funeral. I was too overwhelmed at the time and simply responded that we had talked about the funeral. I didn’t feel the need to say more. But then, the next day, a female journalist called and asked me the same thing. I was still in shock, so I gave the same answer. But once I regained some clarity, I became furious.”
Later, a journalist also contacted him, leading him to question, “How did they even get my phone number?”
Sae-ron’s Suffering and Repeated Self-Harm Attempts
Kim Sae-ron’s father also revealed that Lee Jin-ho even asked about the location of her columbarium. At the time, due to the overwhelming grief, he did not even register that it was “that” Lee Jin-ho calling.
Kim Sae-ron’s father stated that his daughter attempted to take her own life after watching Lee Jin-ho’s videos. “Sae-ron attempted to take her own life after watching Lee Jin-ho’s videos… But as her father…” he trailed off, overwhelmed with grief. He also accused Lee Jin-ho of manipulating conversations. “He claims he apologized, but I believe he called just to evade responsibility.”
Lee Jin-ho had previously insisted that he made videos to “help” Kim Sae-ron, consulting her agency beforehand. In response, her father retorted, “Which acquaintance of Sae-ron’s said that? All of her real friends were trying to protect her.”
He further condemned the media, added, “The manager Lee Jin-ho mentioned was not even her dedicated manager. Sae-ron’s mother had only met that person twice in passing. And yet, Lee Jin-ho shamelessly claims he confirmed things through a source. The worst part is that once he uploads a video, certain media outlets copy and repackage it into articles without the slightest sense of professional ethics. Do they think driving someone to death is justified as long as it gets them a few more clicks?”
Media’s Role in Her Struggles
According to Kim Sae-ron’s father, every time Lee Jin-ho uploaded a video, online media outlets flooded the internet with articles based on it, causing immense distress for his daughter.
“She suffered so much, to the point where she could barely breathe,” her father said, struggling to hold back tears. A family member added, “Every single day was hell.”
“Yes, drunk driving was wrong. She knew that and took responsibility, working part-time jobs while reflecting. But the media twisted everything, calling her a ‘part-time job cosplayer’ and mocking her. It was too cruel.”
They recalled a devastating moment: “Lee Jin-ho uploaded a video where he called Sae-ron and sarcastically questioned whether changing her number showed true remorse. That very day, she attempted to take her own life.”
Indeed, on January 8, Lee Jin-ho posted a video titled, “Kim Sae-ron Deletes Posts Again… Gone After Marriage Rumors? I Called Her Myself”. In the video, he dialed her number and commented, “This number was working just this past week, but after the recent controversy, it seems she even changed her number. With her continued lack of sincerity in self-reflection and responsibility as a public figure, public sentiment toward Kim Sae-ron continues to decline.”
A month later, after her passing, he deleted all his videos about her. He told Ilgan Sports that he removed them out of respect for the deceased.
Kim Sae-ron’s father expressed deep anger over the media’s treatment of his daughter, condemning the notion that her silence indicated a lack of remorse. “So, if my daughter had answered his call, that would’ve meant she was genuinely reflecting, but if she didn’t, it meant she wasn’t? He has no idea how much pain his videos and the media’s coverage caused her.”
He revealed that each new video or article pushed her further into despair, leading to multiple suicide attempts. A grieving family member added that outsiders failed to grasp their suffering, recalling a desperate rush to check on Sae-ron that even resulted in a car accident.
A Father’s Final Words
Kim Sae-ron’s father declared, “What Lee Jin-ho and the online media did was not just an attack on Sae-ron, it destroyed an entire family’s life. I can never forgive them, not even if the world ends.”
He also voiced concerns about further victimization: “I’m worried that YouTubers like Lee Jin-ho or the media might target my family next.”
False rumors have already begun circulating. “There are Shorts videos claiming that someone opened Sae-ron’s urn at the columbarium. There are also rumors that our family squandered the money she had earned.”
With deep sorrow, he concluded, “How are we supposed to respond to all of this? Are we supposed to go around debunking each piece of fake news? My wife and I can endure it, but Sae-ron…” he trailed off, unable to continue.