Actor Kim Soo-hyun has taken legal action against the operator of Garo Sero Research Institute and members of late actress Kim Sae-ron’s family, his agency Gold Medalist announced on March 20, 2025. The lawsuit comes after a controversial photo of the actor was broadcast on YouTube.

Legal complaint over photo controversy

Gold Medalist released a statement confirming the lawsuit, stating, "Gold Medalist, as the agency managing actor Kim Soo Hyun, has filed a criminal complaint against Kim Sae-eui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as ‘Garo Sero’), who posted a photo of actor Kim Soo Hyun taken with his pants down during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel today. The criminal complaint is also pertaining to the bereaved family of the late actress Kim Sae Ron and an unidentified individual claiming to be Kim Sae Ron’s aunt, who allegedly provided the photo to Kim Sae-eui, leading him to post it."

The agency has accused the individuals involved of violating laws concerning sexual crimes by distributing private images without consent. They also stated, "The charges include violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (distribution of footage filmed using cameras, etc.)." Gold Medalist emphasised that the image was from when Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship and had no reason to be made public. The agency accused Garo Sero of blackmailing the actor by threatening to release additional images.

Taiwan event under review

Amid the ongoing controversy, reports suggest that Kim Soo-hyun’s scheduled appearance at the Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of March is under review. If event organisers choose to remove him from the lineup, he may face financial penalties amounting to approximately 1.32 billion KRW (USD 911,000), marking a significant financial setback.

Claims of tampered audio

Meanwhile, an audio clip allegedly featuring Kim Sae-ron has sparked further controversy. A viral online post has claimed that the voice recording, in which the late actress talks about "marriage" and "pregnancy," was manipulated.

The post, shared on X by an account named Guilty Archive Season 2 and later translated by Translating Misogyny in Korea, argued, "The audio of Kim Sae Ron released by Lee Jin Ho was edited later." It continued, "First of all, I would like to state that I only analysed the audio wavelength. I did not conduct any analysis on the authenticity of the content. There are multiple cuts before Kim Sae Ron’s sentences." Screenshots of waveform analysis were also included, suggesting possible tampering.

Dispute over leaked recording

According to reports from Korean media, the leaked voice recording was allegedly provided by Kwak Tae-young, a manager at Gold Medalist. The audio, featuring a conversation between Kim Sae-ron and a former manager, reportedly includes claims about her being married, getting pregnant, and having an abortion. The late actress also allegedly mentioned that a mysterious man featured on her Instagram was her husband, who had captioned the photo with "Marry."

However, Kim Sae-eui, operator of Hoverlab and a representative of Kim Sae-ron’s family, has disputed these claims. He released three handwritten letters from the actress’s mother, denying any knowledge of her supposed marriage or pregnancy. Kim stated, "The family never hid anything. They were completely unaware and are at a loss as to how such claims are being made."

Kim also disclosed that the late actress’s mother was emotionally devastated, leading to the cancellation of a planned press conference. He remarked, "Kim Sae-ron’s mother broke down in tears yesterday. We had planned a press conference today, but she’s now physically unable to even stand."

Kim Sae-ron’s alleged marriage and abuse claims

Further complicating the situation, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho has allegedly released two separate audio recordings that have reignited speculation about Kim Sae-ron’s personal life. The first recording allegedly captures a conversation between Kim Sae-ron and a staff member, in which she claims to have been married to a corporate worker while living in the United States. She also reportedly spoke about experiencing domestic violence at the hands of her husband, especially when he was intoxicated.

A second recording, which reportedly features Kim Sae-ron’s best friend, expands on these claims. The friend is heard saying that Kim Sae-ron had shown her photos of injuries she had suffered due to abuse. "We went to screen golf and grabbed a meal together," the friend reportedly said. "Maybe it was because of the man she met in the USA." The recording suggests that Kim Sae-ron was physically assaulted and that her alleged husband had contacted her the day before her death.

During another conversation about 30 minutes later, the friend reportedly stated that Kim Sae-ron’s injuries included a cut on her neck. "She showed me a picture of a cut on her neck and said it was real," she said. "Her friends all believe she died because of him. He kept making personal attacks and threatening her."

Public sentiment and backlash

While these recordings have added to the speculation surrounding Kim Sae-ron’s life, public sentiment has largely sided with her. Many netizens have questioned the authenticity of the leaked audios, accusing Lee Jin Ho and Gold Medalist of attempting to manipulate the narrative. Some believe that Kim Soo-hyun’s involvement in the controversy is a distraction from deeper issues surrounding the actress’s personal struggles before her passing.