Late Kim Sae-ron’s Heartbreaking Recording Revealed “Suffering Because of Lee Jin-ho and Kim Soo-hyun”
On the afternoon of May 7, an emergency press conference was held by Kim Sae-ron’s family near SpaceShare Samseong Station Center in Gangnam, Seoul.
During the conference, Kim Se-ui (Garosero) played a recorded conversation between Kim Sae-ron and individual A, dated January 10. In the audio, Kim Sae-ron said, “It’s so hard to be in Korea. It’s really hard, and I wonder if I should just die. If I stay in Korea, I can’t do anything, and I feel like I’m going crazy.” She continued, “Honestly, in my current situation, I can’t work on any project. I’m really trying to start something sincerely, but whenever I try, people twist it strangely. What’s really painful is that people who don’t even know me judge me without knowing my circumstances. They say ‘She’s being fake, she’s acting’ and create weird narratives. Even if I’m just photographed drinking one can of beer at a convenience store because I was really thirsty, people post comments like ‘She’s still out of control’.“
When Kim Sae-ron began showing signs of hyperventilation during the conversation, A tried to comfort her, “Are you okay? If you want to go outside, just say so. You must be really stressed. Talk when you’re ready.” Once Kim Sae-ron calmed down, she added, “I know a lot of people recognize me, but I still have to work to earn money. I work hard at any place where I can work. But people twist it the opposite way and make it weird.“
She continued, “It’s not like I’m appearing on TV or anything, but I still have to make a living. I feel like I’m about to explode. It’s not just one or two people—people who don’t even know me write articles and go on broadcasts. What’s really strange is that even when I change my phone number, this guy Lee Jin-ho still calls me. When Lee Jin-ho says something, other journalists just spread it without verifying anything.”
Kim Sae-ron concluded emotionally, “If I were a man, I could at least work on a construction site doing manual labor. I really want to die. I’m truly enduring and holding on. I’ve been working at a café and struggling privately like this, but because of Kim Soo-hyun and that crazy journalist Lee Jin-ho, I even developed panic disorder. I want to die.“
This tragic testimony has reignited calls for better mental health protection for celebrities, especially young stars who face immense public scrutiny. The recording sheds new light on the emotional weight Kim Sae-ron carried until her untimely death.
