Seoul:  Actor Kim Soo-hyun has publicly addressed the allegations surrounding his past relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron, breaking his silence at a press conference held on Monday, March 31. Appearing alongside his lawyer, Kim Jong-bok, the ‘Queen of Tears’ star delivered an emotional statement, denying accusations that he had pressured Kim Sae-ron over a debt or that their relationship was inappropriate when she was a minor.

For weeks, speculation surrounding Kim Soo-hyun has intensified, with Kim Sae-ron’s family and the YouTube channel Garosero Institute accusing him of contributing to the actress’s tragic death. In his first official response, the actor admitted to his past mistakes but firmly refuted the claims made against him, vowing to clear his name.

"I was a coward": Kim Soo-hyun addresses past choices

Kim Soo-hyun, visibly shaken, opened his statement by apologising to those affected by the controversy. "Firstly, I am sorry. Because of me, so many people are suffering. And I feel sorry that the late actor isn’t able to rest in peace," he said, as translated by Korea JoongAng Daily.

Reflecting on his actions over the years, Kim admitted that he had often prioritised his public image over personal honesty. "I consider myself a coward. I have always been too preoccupied with holding on to what I have. I couldn’t even trust the goodwill that came my way, always fearing loss, harm and running away, denying everything," he confessed.

Kim acknowledged that he had initially denied his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron when it was first brought up, explaining that he had been worried about its potential impact on his career and the drama ‘Queen of Tears,’ in which he starred. "When the drama was airing, I had so much to protect as its lead actor. What would have happened if I had admitted to a yearlong relationship? What would happen to the actors, the staff working overnight, and the production team who had everything staked on that project? What would happen to our agency's employees?"

He added that while he understood the criticism directed at him for his choices, he maintained that their relationship had been consensual and ordinary. "Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was like any other ordinary couple. We dated with good feelings and, after some time, broke up."

Denies dating Kim Sae-ron as a minor, refutes coercion over debt

Kim Soo-hyun firmly rejected claims that he had dated Kim Sae-ron when she was still underage. "I never dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor," he said, stating that accusations of grooming were based on manipulated evidence. "There is evidence of photos, videos and KakaoTalk chats that have been cleverly manipulated. I will take whatever criticism about my choices, but that does not mean everything becomes fact."

The actor also dismissed allegations that Kim Sae-ron had taken her own life due to financial pressure from him or his agency, Goldmedalist. "It is not true that she made this tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt," he stated.

He addressed rumours that he had pressured her to pay off a 700-million KRW debt, calling them baseless. "The family of the deceased revealed testimony from the agency's CEO on YouTube, making it sound like the agency pressured her by sending a second letter demanding debt repayment. However, a phone call recorded a year ago shows a different conversation with the CEO."

Kim also pointed out discrepancies in the KakaoTalk messages presented as evidence by Kim Sae-ron’s family. "This KakaoTalk message has so many things wrong to think that Kim Sae-ron wrote it. It was a photo taken in 2019. If it was really her, she couldn’t have got our age difference wrong. And it is not possible for her to get the agency name and the contracted period wrong."

"I want to clear my name": Kim Soo-hyun vows to fight allegations

Kim revealed that he had struggled with whether to speak out sooner but ultimately decided to do so after realising the extent of the misinformation being spread. "Every time something about me and Kim Sae-ron was exposed, I thought to myself—let’s reveal everything. I kept thinking about speaking directly and ending this hell-like situation," he admitted. He tearfully pleaded to give him a fair chance to explain the accusations leveled against him.

"But I couldn’t accept being coerced into taking what’s fake as the truth. I will take action to thoroughly investigate the evidence that the family of the deceased are bringing forward as if they have verified it all," he stated.

The actor also spoke about the fear and pressure he has been living under, saying, "I am scared of what they will reveal today and distort to make me a killer. But if I surrender to such pressure and say that something false is true, I would be betraying not only myself but all of the people who have sent belief and love to me."

Legal action against Kim Sae-ron’s family and YouTube channel

Following Kim Soo-hyun’s statement, his lawyer Kim Jong-bok confirmed that legal action was being pursued against Kim Sae-ron’s family and Hoverlab, the operator of Garosero Institute.

"Standing by his will, Kim Soo-hyun and Goldmedalist have requested the law firm explore both criminal and civil litigation to get the facts straight," Kim Jong-bok announced.

A lawsuit seeking damages worth 12 billion won has been filed with the Supreme Central District Court. "The reason we are not taking questions is that the filing of a criminal complaint is an ongoing issue under investigation," the lawyer added.

Kim Soo-hyun concluded by expressing his determination to prove his innocence. "I have done what I have done. I will take any criticism for that. But the things I haven’t done—I haven’t done. I want to clear my name. I will not ask for trust—I will prove it."