He is blaming her family instead.

The late actress Kim Sae Ron‘s ex-boyfriend has come out to say that actor Kim Soo Hyun played no part in her death. Kim Sae Ron’s ex-boyfriend “K” held an exclusive interview with media outlet THE FACT, where he told them what happened in her last days prior to her death.

Abused by her husband

Kim Sae Ron met her husband in November 2024, and the two got married early on in 2025. However, her husband would both physically and verbally abuse her. Due to this, Kim Sae Ron would find comfort and support with “K”, which only made her husband even angrier.

Once her husband realized she was still communicating with “K”, he took her phone away from her, began closely monitoring her actions, and verbally abused her. This situation ended up giving Kim Sae Ron severe stress, to the point where she attempted self-harm multiple times.

“K” released a series of messages, one between him and Kim Sae Ron and one from Kim Sae Ron’s husband.

Kim Sae Ron: Yeah, no. Don’t answer it. He’s crazy.

Kim Sae Ron: Block him on Instagram, you don’t need to hear him out.

Kim Sae Ron: It wasn’t your fault, you don’t deserve to be told things like that.

“K”: This is so annoying. He’s cursing me out. I can curse, too, you know. This is f*  up.

“K”: I blocked him. Damn.

Kim Sae Ron: I’m sorry. You can take it out on me instead. That b**** is crazy.

Kim Sae Ron: He’s mental.

Kim Sae Ron: I keep getting cursed at and beaten, too. But nothing changes.

“K”: Just report him… Man, I’d 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 him. That little f*cker. Who does he think he is?

Kim Sae Ron: I can’t report him because he’s American, apparently.

Kim Sae Ron: Sorry, I’m so sorry.

[January 15, Wednesday 2:35PM]

Kim Sae Ron: Have you had lunch yet? Don’t skip your meals…

He also shared a screenshot of an Instagram direct message from her husband (then-boyfriend).

This is Sae Ron’s boyfriend. Stop getting in touch with her again and don’t even think about seeing her again. This is my final warning. I know you met up with her on Christmas Eve and Christmas. I’m holding back, even though I want to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 you, so I’m blocking you. Just please, f*** off you useless piece of s***.” — Kim Sae Ron’s husband (boyfriend at the time)

Kim Sae Ron continued to message “K”, even confiding in him that he was the most precious person in the world to her, but she didn’t want to hurt him.

Kim Sae Ron: That’s not it. That’s not how I feel. I was a bad person to you, but I still want to tell you everything.

“K”: Your boyfriend cursed me out… He DMed me, threatening to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 me and calling me a piece of sh*t. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?

Kim Sae Ron: I started seeing him in November. At first, I couldn’t share it and you were constantly having a difficult time. I was struggling and couldn’t rely on you. The truth is, I was lonely and I needed someone who would be there to listen to me and help me solve my problems. But that [help] was temporary. Later on, he began leaking my KakaoTalk messages and photos, hacked into my Instagram, hit me, and cursed at me. I was so scared, that’s why I couldn’t break up with him. I was always afraid that you would be hurt because of me, so I said we should break up. And all this happened.

You were the most precious person to me and I didn’t want him talking sh*t to you. I didn’t want you to get hurt. But I haven’t been able to push you away because I’m that greedy… and now we’re here. I got us into this situation and left you in pain and with scars. But I was sincere every moment I was with you. My feelings for you were genuine and you were the most precious love to me… [cut off]

The family that cut ties with Kim Sae Ron

“K” claimed that she struggled heavily due to her family’s indifference to her personal situation. He revealed that on November 1, 2024, she attempted self-harm and required emergency surgery. Despite her family being notified of this, none of them showed up to be there for her in her time of need, with only “K” staying by her side until she was discharged from the hospital. Her former agency covered the hospital fees.

When I brought Sae Ron home after she was discharged, her mother and her mother’s friend were casually having a meal at home. She didn’t look surprised or show any signs of empathy.

This kind of reaction from her family is why she always wanted to run away.

— “K”

“K” stated that Kim Sae Ron would continue to confide in him after her marriage, and opened up about her self-harm attempts to him.

I couldn’t forgive myself, and there was no other way. I tried [self harm], but all that was left were scars. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise to you. And I’m sorry that I’m not in more pain.

— Kim Sae Ron

“K” then strongly refuted claims that Kim Soo Hyun was to blame for her death, narrowing the focus onto her family instead.

As someone who knew Sae Ron better than anyone else, it’s absurd to me that her aunt suddenly appears, claims to be part of her bereaved family, and is now pushing the narrative that Kim Sae Ron died because of Kim Soo Hyun. Why do you think her biological parents aren’t the ones stepping forward? Don’t you think it might be because they are the ones she wanted to escape from?

How can a daughter get married without her family knowing? I can understand, though. The fact that none of them knew about her getting married to the New York man proves how little communication there was between them. They hardly cared when she was alive. But now that she’s gone, they’re digging up a relationship from years ago with a famous actor? There has to be a ulterior motive behind this. I’ve never met Kim Soo Hyun, but I can only imagine how wronged he must feel, getting so much backlash just because he’s a popular celebrity.

— “K”

To conclude his interview with THE FACT, “K” signed and stamped a statement with his Korean social security number as a show of credibility. He also shared a voice recording of Kim Sae Ron at the hospital, saying she needed surgery and the cost would be ₩5.00 million KRW (about $3,410 USD). But the person she called was not her family, rather one of her acquaintances.