‘Please stop, I am…’: Seo Yea-ji breaks silence amid Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron controversy
South Korean actress Seo Yea-ji has found herself entangled in the ongoing scandal involving her former 'It’s Okay to Not Be Okay' co-star Kim Soo-hyun and late actress Kim Sae-ron. In response to being linked to the controversy, Seo addressed her fans directly, expressing her frustration at the continued association.
Seo Yea-ji speaks out on social media
On March 13 (KST), Seo Yea-ji took to her official fan café to clarify her stance regarding the allegations surrounding Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin, Lee Sa-rang. She revealed that she had briefly responded to a hateful comment on TikTok before deleting it.
A fan had commented: “Unnie, [incoherent sentence about dating Kim Soo Hyun]. Please don’t let us down again. I just read about it on TikTok.” In response, Seo replied, “I wish people would… please… stop. I am in no way affiliated with him and his cousin. I don’t even know why I have to explain myself… but I’m just extra frustrated tonight… Good night, yeyes.”
The actress later elaborated on her emotional state, saying, “My dearest yeyes, I’m only human… So this has been overwhelming, stressful… and I’m so sick and tired of it all. It saddens me and suffocates me… I’ve been holding back and back… but I ended up responding to this comment. I deleted it, though.”
Anonymous post alleges Gold Medalist’s tole in defaming Seo
As the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun intensifies, an anonymous online post allegedly written by a former employee of Gold Medalist, the agency that previously managed both Seo and Kim, has resurfaced. The post accuses the company of deliberately spreading false information about Seo Yea-ji to divert attention from its internal problems.
The whistleblower, who claimed to have worked at the company four years ago, stated that they were fired after leaking sensitive details about Seo to reporters. The post alleges that Gold Medalist fabricated negative rumours, including accusations that Seo was rude to staff and had been involved in school violence.
Additionally, the former employee claimed that Seo had trusted Kim Soo-hyun when she re-signed with Gold Medalist but was ultimately exploited by the agency. The post also alleged that even during the airing of her drama 'Eve,' the company deliberately refrained from promoting it.
Full post by allegedly former employee of Gold Medalist
Hi everyone. I would like to remain anonymous. Four years ago, I worked at Gold Medalist, but I was fired after leaking important information about actress Seo Ye-ji to reporters from Dispatch and OSN. However, those reporters did not use the information because Lee Sa-rang instructed them not to use it, saying that it would ruin the company's reputation. What I want to say is that while actor Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin Lee Sa-rang have many problems, actress Seo Ye-ji was used as a shield. Some of the negative claims about her actually came from within the company. Gold Medalist intentionally fed Dispatch false information about Seo Ye-ji to cover up their own problems. They even paid people to lie about her. For example, the claim that Seo Ye-ji was rude to the staff was fabricated. Gold Medalist actually paid people to spread such false claims. Also, one of the employees of the company made up a false story that Seo Ye-ji committed school violence during her school days, and Lee Sa-rang instructed the reporters to lie about it. Actress Seo Ye-ji re-signed with Gold Medalist because she thought she could trust Kim Soo-hyun. However, she was eventually used, and the company made a huge profit through her. Actor Kim Jung-hyun has said in the past that his agency will sue him for spreading false information about Seo Ye-ji, but the company did not disclose this. Even when her second drama Eve was aired, the company did not promote it. There is more to this story. Actress Kim Sae-ron knows the important truth. So I want to convey this message to Kim Sae-ron's parents. If you look at her diary with a pink cover, you will find out more about what happened between Kim Sae-ron and actor Kim Soo-hyun. But I also want to tell them not to worry. Gold Medalist will eventually expose itself without even knowing it.
Seo Yea-ji’s past controversies resurface
Despite having distanced herself from Gold Medalist, Seo Yea-ji continues to face the consequences of past allegations. In 2021, reports suggested she had been in a romantic relationship with Kim Soo-hyun’s cousin, Lee Robe, following her breakup with the actor. The agency, however, prevented the dating rumours from spreading further.
Years earlier, in 2014, she was accused of school bullying by a netizen who claimed, “Seo Ye-ji bullied me in middle school and even extorted me.” More recently, in 2023, she was accused of gaslighting her former partner, actor Kim Jung-hyun. The court later ordered her agency to reimburse a substantial sum to a brand sponsor that had severed ties with her due to these controversies.
Kim Soo-hyun under fire over relationship allegations
Meanwhile, the South Korean entertainment industry remains fixated on the scandal surrounding Kim Soo-hyun. The 37-year-old actor is facing significant public scrutiny following allegations by Kim Sae-ron’s aunt, who claimed that he was in a six-year relationship with the late actress, which allegedly began when she was just 15 and he was 27.
Earlier on Friday, Gold Medalist released a statement refuting false claims about Kim Soo Hyun’s past relationship with Kim Sae Ron and his alleged involvement in her financial troubles. The company clarified that Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron dated between summer 2019 and fall 2020, after she became an adult, contradicting Garo Sero Institute’s claim that their relationship began in 2016 when she was a minor.
As speculation continues to grow, more revelations about Kim Soo-hyun’s relationships with his colleagues have surfaced. Seo Yea-ji, who was once closely associated with him, has now found herself caught in the storm despite having no involvement in the ongoing dispute.