The First Reporter to Expose Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron’s Relationship Suddenly Passed Away

For the past week, suspicions that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron when she was still a minor have dominated media headlines and social networks across Asia. On the evening of March 14, Sohu reported that netizens had rediscovered a post from 2021, which cited statements from the late reporter and YouTuber Kim Yong-ho. He had claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were once in a relationship. In other words, Kim Yong-ho was the first reporter to expose their dating story.

What stands out is that Kim Yong-ho suddenly passed away in October 2023, with his body found in a hotel room in Busan, Korea. The police determined that the YouTuber had died by suicide. Prior to his death, Kim Yong-ho was on trial for sexually assaulting a woman at a bar in Busan and had received a two-year suspended prison sentence. He was also required to complete 120 hours of community service and attend 40 hours of sexual assault prevention education. Notably, the news of Kim Yong-ho’s death—two years after he revealed Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron’s alleged relationship—quickly skyrocketed to the number one spot on Weibo’s trending entertainment searches.

According to Sohu, many netizens believe that if Kim Yong-ho were still alive, he could have disclosed crucial details about Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron’s relationship.

Kim Yong-ho was the founder and operator of the YouTube channel “Garo Sero Institute”, which is currently at the center of a fierce battle against A-list actor Kim Soo-hyun. In the past, Kim Yong-ho had exposed numerous top celebrities, including Jun Ji-hyun, Han Ye-seul, Choi Ji-woo, Seo Ye-ji and Song Hye-kyo.

Kim Yong-ho’s YouTube channel previously gained attention for reporting extensively on the high-profile divorce of Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo in early 2019. The channel also fueled rumors about Song Joong-ki’s alleged relationship after the split.

Additionally, Kim Yong-ho was responsible for exposing Seo Ye-ji’s alleged manipulative behavior towards her boyfriend and those around her in early 2021. This controversy led to the actress being heavily criticized in Korea, ultimately causing her career to collapse.

Due to his numerous exposés, Kim Yong-ho was sued over 10 times for defamation and damaging the reputations of public figures.