At an emotionally charged press conference held on March 31 in Mapo-gu, Seoul, actor Kim Soo Hyun broke his silence, directly addressing the explosive allegations surrounding his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron. Joined by his legal representative, lawyer Kim Jong-bok from LKB & Partners, Kim firmly denied any misconduct and claimed that the evidence presented by Kim Sae Ron’s family had been manipulated.
This appearance marked Kim’s first public statement since allegations emerged on March 10 accusing him of dating Kim Sae Ron while she was still a minor. Despite initially denying any romantic involvement, Kim later admitted they had dated for about a year but only after she became an adult.
During the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun said, “The photo they claim is from 2016 is actually from 2019. If they really knew the deceased well, they couldn’t be this wrong about her age, our age gap, or even the years she worked under our agency. She was only ever an actress with our company — she never participated in casting or visual directing.”
The late actress’s family had previously held their own press conference on March 27, revealing alleged KakaoTalk conversations from 2016 between Kim and Kim Sae Ron, who was 15 at the time. In the messages, Kim reportedly called her “too cute,” replied “do it for real later” to a suggestive message, and made remarks like, “When can I fall asleep holding you?” — all of which sparked public outrage.
Kim Soo Hyun, however, claimed that these messages were altered or completely falsified, stating, “They’re using these alleged 2016 chats to frame me as a pedophile and predator. But based on forensic analysis, the person in the 2016 and 2018 chats is not the same. We submitted this data to a certified verification institution, and their conclusion supports that.”
The actor also stressed the emotional toll the accusations have taken on him, saying, “Since their claims began, every time we respond, they come back with newly edited recordings, staged images, and conveniently timed testimony. It feels like they’re trying to make me into a murderer. If their so-called evidence is real, I welcome a full investigation.”
He ended the conference visibly emotional, declaring, “What’s not true is simply not true. I will prove it — no matter what they come up with next.”
Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, emphasized that they would not be taking any questions at the press event and only issued a formal statement. This development comes amid ongoing legal chaos and public scrutiny surrounding the tragic passing of Kim Sae Ron and the allegations now shaking one of Korea’s most prominent actors.
