Second Certified Letter to Late Kim Sae-ron Revealed “Do Not Contact Kim Soo-hyun”
On March 18, Star News obtained a copy of the second certified letter that Gold Medalist sent to Kim Sae-ron. This letter, dated March 25, 2024, was titled “Legal Representation for Debt Repayment and Business-related Requests”. It was sent the day after Kim Sae-ron uploaded a photo of herself touching cheeks with Kim Soo-hyun on her personal SNS.
The letter, issued by Gold Medalist’s legal representative LKB & Partners, stated, “As the legal representative of Gold Medalist (hereinafter referred to as ‘our client company’), we are informing you of the designated legal representative handling matters related to debt repayment. Additionally, we politely request that you refrain from engaging in any actions that may disrupt the business operations of our client company and its affiliates.”
LKB & Partners also explained why they had sent the first certified letter on March 15, 2024, urging Kim Sae-ron to repay the debt. “If the repayment deadline for the loan has passed and the debt is not collected, executives of our client company could be held liable for breach of duty. As the legal representative responsible for our client company’s compliance management, we had no choice but to demand repayment, and we ask for your understanding on this matter.”
Gold Medalist had previously covered approximately ₩700 million (₩686,409,653) in penalty fees related to Netflix’s drama “Bloodhounds” following Kim Sae-ron’s DUI incident in 2022. The company then classified this amount as a loan and demanded repayment. After receiving the first certified letter, Kim Sae-ron reportedly sent a desperate text message to Kim Soo-hyun.
Star News confirmed the contents of this message, in which Kim Sae-ron pleaded, “I am preparing for my comeback and will gradually repay the amount, even if it’s a small percentage per project. I’m not saying I won’t pay; I just can’t afford to pay ₩700 million all at once. It’s not that I don’t do it; I’m simply unable to. Do we really have to go to court over this? Please save me. I’m begging you.“
In response, Gold Medalist sent a second certified letter. In it, LKB & Partners stated, “Regarding your plea about the difficulties of repayment, our client company is open to discussing flexible terms for the repayment schedule. Please provide us with a proposed repayment plan at your earliest convenience.”
However, the letter also included a strict warning, “Furthermore, as this debt repayment matter falls under the jurisdiction of our client company rather than individual employees or actors, we kindly request that you refrain from directly contacting our client company’s employees or actors regarding this matter.”
Additionally, the letter referenced Kim Sae-ron’s SNS post featuring her and Kim Soo-hyun and warned, “Such actions could significantly disrupt the business operations of our client company and its affiliates. We request that you refrain from engaging in any conduct that may interfere with our business activities.”
Gold Medalist has not yet released an official statement regarding the second certified letter.
At a press conference held in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on March 17, Bu Ji-seok, a lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron’s family from the law firm Buyou, said, “After receiving the first certified letter, Kim Sae-ron sent a desperate message to Kim Soo-hyun, pleading for help. However, instead of a personal response, she was met with a second certified letter. Although the letter mentioned that they had to issue it due to concerns over breach of duty, it essentially pressured her to settle the debt within a given timeframe. It also explicitly stated that she should not contact Kim Soo-hyun or any other affiliated actors and that legal action would be taken against her for posting the photo—an outright intimidation tactic.”
Meanwhile, Kim Sae-ron’s family filed a defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Lee Jin-ho, accusing him of spreading false information that damaged her reputation. Lee Jin-ho had previously uploaded multiple videos about Kim Sae-ron’s 2022 DUI incident.
On March 17, Lee Jin-ho responded through his YouTube channel, “I intend to prove my innocence. If I am found responsible, I will not avoid any consequences. However, I also have evidence that I have not disclosed yet. I will present this evidence to the investigative authorities to correct any misinformation.”