Lee Jin-ho Explains Why He Cannot Cover Kim Soo-hyun Controversy: “I Won’t Drag Others Down to Save Myself”
On March 28, Lee Jin-ho released a video on his YouTube channel, Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho. In the video, he stated, “Kim Sae-ron’s family held a press conference and revealed KakaoTalk messages claiming she dated Kim Soo-hyun when she was a minor.” He added, “They also announced plans to sue me for stalking, so I want to clarify my position.”
Lee Jin-ho argued, “The family already has full transcripts of my broadcasts. Nowhere did I ever say the photo of Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun touching cheeks was staged or that their relationship was fake. If they have proof of me saying that, they should present it.”
He also questioned, “What connection do I have with Kim Soo-hyun that they are dragging me into this? I have never once contacted or met anyone from Gold Medalist. I have no ties with former Gold Medalist employees either. Yet, Garo Sero Institute claims I was instructed by Gold Medalist to attack Kim Sae-ron, which is completely false.”
Lee Jin-ho called these accusations “blatant defamation” and vowed to take legal action.
He further criticized Kim Sae-ron’s family lawyer, Boo Ji-seok, who stated at the press conference that Lee Jin-ho was spreading false information to avoid responsibility. “Interestingly, they are suing me for stalking, not for spreading false information. This actually proves that the recorded calls I released—between the late Kim Sae-ron and her ex-boyfriend, as well as with other related parties—were true.”
Lee Jin-ho also questioned the family’s selective approach to the controversy. “Why are they ignoring the testimonies about Kim Sae-ron suffering from domestic violence at the hands of her American husband? While they aggressively go after Kim Soo-hyun, they remain silent about the husband, who publicly admitted their marriage but didn’t even attend her funeral as her legal spouse. There is evidence of abusive messages and injuries, yet they make no accusations against him.”
Many netizens have repeatedly asked Lee Jin-ho why he isn’t covering Kim Soo-hyun’s case. He responded, “I have clear reasons for addressing Kim Sae-ron’s case. It’s not only about clearing my name but also about correcting the false claims made by Garo Sero Institute.”
Lee Jin-ho also mentioned that a close acquaintance of Kim Sae-ron, referred to as “B,” told him, “Everything will settle down if you report on Kim Soo-hyun.” However, Garo Sero Institute edited and manipulated his conversation with B to make it seem like he was saying, ‘I am about to die.’ In reality, his full statement was, ‘How can I drag someone else down just to save myself?’ He emphasized that he refuses to create another victim.
Regarding whether he would cover Kim Soo-hyun’s past relationship, Lee Jin-ho said, “This is about a relationship that ended four years ago. The people who know the full details are the family members holding Kim Sae-ron’s phone. As a journalist, I need to investigate before reporting, but if I contact them, they accuse me of harassment and stalking. How am I supposed to conduct an investigation under these circumstances?”
Lee Jin-ho concluded, “If Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated, that’s their personal matter. What does it have to do with me?”
On March 17, they filed a defamation lawsuit against Lee Jin-ho with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, accusing him of spreading false information. The case was transferred to the Seodaemun Police Station on March 18. Lee Jin-ho, on the other hand, maintains that Kim Sae-ron’s conflicts with her American husband were the primary cause of her death.