Kim Soo-hyun’s military letters surface amid allegations over late Kim Sae-ron
Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews
A handwritten letter Kim Soo-hyun wrote to a girlfriend during his mandatory military service has been made public, offering what his lawyer says is clear evidence that the top actor did not date the late Kim Sae-ron while she was underage — a claim that has fueled months of online controversy.
Kim’s legal representative, attorney Ko Sang-rok, released excerpts of the letter on Sept. 30, saying it was shared “to restore the actor’s damaged reputation and correct distorted claims” after a wave of rumors accused the 36-year-old star of having an inappropriate relationship with Kim, who died earlier this year.
Kim Sae-ron, left, and Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews
Letters show Kim was dating another woman during service
According to Ko, Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron began dating in the summer of 2019 — after Kim had become an adult — and their relationship continued into the following year. All photos released by the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (Hoverlab), which led to the accusations, were taken between December 2019 and spring 2020, he said.
Ko further revealed that from 2016 until spring 2019 — including the entire period of Kim’s military service — Kim had a different girlfriend. “From the time he was assigned to his unit, the diary entries turned into letters sharing his daily life and feelings with his partner,” Ko said. “From then until his discharge in spring 2019, around 150 diary-style letters were written.”
Excerpts from the letters, written in a casual and affectionate tone, included messages such as: “I really want to write your name, but I can’t because I’m such a troublemaking soldier. I really want to say your name. I love you.”
“As always, I want to hear your voice, and when I hear it, I want to see you and hold you. It’s the perfect level of madness — this is military life. I love you, as always.”
“Every day I feel disillusioned in the barracks, but one thing is certain: I think I’m treating her better than I did before enlistment. I’m not wasting my thoughts elsewhere — I’m focusing only on her, caring for her, wanting her, waiting for her.”
Ko also said that the letter to the deceased released by Hoverlab was not written to a lover. “It is more like a reflective essay about daily military life, personal resolutions and post-discharge plans, rather than a message exchanged between lovers,” he said.
Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews
Rumors, accusations and legal battles
The controversy began in March, shortly after Kim Sae-ron’s death, when Hoverlab alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had dated her from the age of 15 for six years. Kim later acknowledged that they had been in a relationship but insisted it began after she became an adult. He has since filed defamation lawsuits against both Hoverlab and members of Kim’s family over the spread of what he calls false information.
In a further escalation, Hoverlab and the family released audio recordings they claimed were conversations between Kim Sae-ron and a friend, suggesting the relationship started in middle school. Kim’s team has denied the authenticity of the recordings, calling them “AI-generated fabrications.”
The public release of Kim’s military letters appears to be his strongest evidence yet in an ongoing fight over his reputation — and a high-profile example of how celebrity scandals in South Korea continue to collide with issues of privacy, online misinformation and posthumous accusations.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.