Although actor Kim Soo-hyun firmly denied dating Kim Sae-ron since she was a minor, netizens remain skeptical.
On March 10, a person claiming to be Kim Sae-ron’s aunt gave an interview to Garo Sero Institute, a YouTube channel run by former journalists and lawyers specializing in entertainment industry scandals in South Korea. In addition to revealing that Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun had been dating for six years, since when Kim Sae-ron was a minor, the late actress’ aunt also accused Gold Medalist, the management company founded by Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin Lee Sa-rang (also known as Lee Ro-bae), of misconduct.
Accordingly, Kim Sae-ron joined Gold Medalist and took on the role of coaching and guiding new actors without receiving any compensation, at the same time working diligently as if the company were her own. In 2022, after her drunk driving scandal, Kim Sae-ron had to pay penalties for breaching film and advertisement contracts, while Kim Soo-hyun lent Kim Sae-ron 700 million won (approx. 480,000 USD) to cover these costs without demanding immediate repayment. As a result, Kim Sae-ron confided in her aunt that although there was no set deadline for repayment, she would still work hard to pay him back.
By 2024, the actress received a debt certificate for the aforementioned 700 million won. Kim Sae-ron broke down in tears as she had already used up all her money for compensation and had nothing left. She believed that Kim Soo-hyun did not send the debt notice himself, but rather it was sent by Lee Sa-rang, his cousin and co-founder of Gold Medalist. She tried calling Kim Soo-hyun to ask about it, but he did not answer. Her cousin also tried reaching out to him but received no response. Instead, she later received a call from an unknown number, which turned out to be a journalist asking if she was indeed Kim Sae-ron.
In the end, Kim Sae-ron posted intimate photos with Kim Soo-hyun on Instagram, believing it was the only way to get him to contact her. However, Gold Medalist denied the dating rumors and stated, “We do not understand her intentions.” Because of this photo, Kim Sae-ron faced severe backlash from netizens, who labeled her as a fabricator.
Additionally, YouTuber and former journalist Lee Jin-ho frequently posted negative videos about Kim Sae-ron, leading to similar negative news articles. Each time, she was so distressed that she harmed herself, forcing her family to keep watch over her 24/7. Her cousin was always by her side to take care of her. A few days before her passing, Kim Sae-ron was extremely thin and mentally exhausted. Despite this, she still tried to cook fried rice for her aunt. Little did her aunt know that it would be the last meal she would ever eat from Kim Sae-ron.
As of the moment, Gold Medalist has denied all allegations revealed by Garo Sero Institute and announced plans to take legal action. However, netizens remain skeptical about the true story of the story. If the claims are true, then the person who sent the debt notice that pushed Kim Sae-ron to the edge was Lee Sa-rang. Kim Soo-hyun is also responsible for ignoring her.