
Actor Kim Soo-hyun’s side has clarified recent speculation regarding unpaid court fees related to a defamation lawsuit filed against the family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron and Garo Sero Institute CEO Kim Se-ui, confirming that the fees have been fully paid. Attention now turns to how the legal proceedings will unfold.
At a press conference on March 31, Kim Soo-hyun reiterated that he only dated Kim Sae-ron for about a year after she reached adulthood. He claimed that her family manipulated KakaoTalk messages to make it appear that conversations from 2016 and 2018 when she was a minor were with him, but analysis from a scientific verification agency confirmed that the counterpart in those conversations was someone else. Based on this, Kim Soo-hyun filed a damages claim worth a total of 12 billion KRW (approx. 9 million USD) against Garo Sero and Kim Sae-ron’s family.

The Civil Division 14 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge: Jeong Ha-jung), which is overseeing the case, issued a supplemental order on April 2 for additional payment of court fees, including filing and delivery costs, totaling around 38 million KRW.
When Kim Soo-hyun’s side submitted a request for an extension on April 16, suspicions arose that this was an attempt to delay the fee payment. However, this was refuted.
Speaking to Star News on April 17, Kim Soo-hyun’s legal representative confirmed that the full amount of 38,299,500 KRW was paid. The extension request, they explained, was a routine procedural step to correct the addresses of defendants—particularly one individual referred to as the “fake aunt,” whose identity remains unclear.

The lawyer stated, “There’s no issue if even one piece of identifying information—name, contact number, or resident registration number is available. With a phone number, telecom companies can verify the identity, and with a registration number, official documents can be obtained.” However, none of these identifiers are currently known for the “fake aunt,” though they expect this to change, as she is also facing a criminal complaint.
“The investigative agency that received the criminal complaint will eventually uncover her identity,” the lawyer said, adding that they are actively seeking ways to identify her sooner. “We’re also exploring whether we can obtain her contact information through call records of co-defendants.”
As for the timeline of the first court hearing, the lawyer said it’s hard to predict, though it will likely proceed in parallel with the ongoing criminal investigation.