Lee El Criticizes Double Standards Toward Late Kim Sae-ron “A 15-Year-Old Is Treated Like a Gold Digger”
Actress Lee El has spoken out against the public criticism directed at the late Kim Sae-ron
On March 17, Lee El posted on her social media account, “A 9-year-old is considered a clueless child forced into things by their parents, but a 15-year-old is treated like a gold digger who knows everything about the world?”
She did not provide additional context for her post. However, given the recent controversy sparked by Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family claiming that she was in a six-year relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun starting at the age of 15, it is widely interpreted as her response to the ongoing issue.
Prior to her passing, Kim Sae-ron had posted an intimate photo with Kim Soo-hyun on SNS, fueling dating rumors. At the time, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency immediately denied the rumors. However, the bereaved family recently shared photos and letters through YouTube channel “Garo Sero Institute”, asserting that Kim Sae-ron had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun—12 years her senior—since she was 15.
As a result, allegations of grooming against Kim Soo-hyun spread rapidly. In response, his agency Gold Medalist clarified, “Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun started dating in the summer of 2019 after she became an adult and were together until the fall of 2020.”
However, Garo Sero Institute countered this claim during a press conference on March 17, “(Kim Sae-ron) wrote that they had been in a relationship since November 2015 for six years. Her aunt confirmed that Kim Sae-ron kept a diary, so the exact dates can’t be disputed.”
Following the revelation of Kim Soo-hyun’s relationship with Kim Sae-ron, some fans shifted the blame toward Kim Sae-ron and her parents. Reacting to this, Lee El criticized the hypocrisy of treating a 9-year-old as an innocent child while portraying a 15-year-old as a manipulative figure, firmly questioning, “Does a 15-year-old really know everything about the world?”
On March 17, Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family officially filed a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber A, stating, “A falsely accused Kim Sae-ron of fabricating her own dating rumors and manipulated public perception against her.”
Additionally, they called for an apology from Kim Soo-hyun’s side, condemning their allegedly misleading public statements that further distressed the family. They also accused Kim Soo-hyun’s agency of pressuring Kim Sae-ron by sending her two legal notices demanding a 700 million KRW compensation for damages following her DUI incident. The family announced that they are now considering legal action against Kim Soo-hyun’s side.
Meanwhile, Lee El is best known for her supporting roles in the film “Inside Men”, the television series “It’s Okay, That’s Love”, “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”, “A Korean Odyssey” and “Black” as well as her leading roles in the film “What a Man Wants” and television series “My Liberation Notes”.