Can Kim Soo-hyun recover from a year of scandal?

Kim Se-ui, left, and Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

A year after actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears at a high-profile press conference over allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron, the controversy has entered yet another dramatic phase.

Kim Se-ui, head of controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, was taken into custody this week as police reportedly concluded that audio files previously presented as evidence against Kim Soo-hyun were generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

According to the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday, Judge Boo Dong-sik approved an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui over allegations including defamation, attempted coercion, intimidation and violations of laws related to distributing illegally produced content. The court said there were concerns about destruction of evidence and flight risk.

Kim Se-ui is accused of spreading false claims through YouTube broadcasts suggesting that Kim Sae-ron’s death was linked to Kim Soo-hyun. He also publicly alleged that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor, a claim the actor has repeatedly denied.

The case gained nationwide attention last year after Kim Se-ui held a press conference and released what he claimed was an audio recording of Kim Sae-ron discussing shocking details involving Kim Soo-hyun. The recording quickly went viral online and fueled intense public backlash against the actor.

However, local media reports now say police believe the audio was artificially generated using AI voice technology.

According to a detention warrant request from Seoul Gangnam Police Station cited by JoongAng Ilbo on May 21, investigators said Kim Se-ui spread false information for financial gain, including YouTube revenue.

Police reportedly said that Kim Se-ui “knew that actor Kim did not date the deceased when she was a minor” but still distributed false claims. Investigators also reportedly concluded that KakaoTalk messages previously disclosed by Kim Se-ui’s side had been manipulated.

Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

Kim Se-ui denied all allegations during his court appearance.

“The arrest warrant is filled with obvious falsehoods,” he said. “It is sloppy and does not even organize the basic facts properly.”

He also said he does not acknowledge any of the charges and argued that the National Forensic Service had said it was impossible to definitively determine whether the recordings were AI-generated. He said relying on analysis from private companies to claim manipulation effectively disregards the national agency’s findings.

The controversy severely affected Kim Soo-hyun’s career at the height of his popularity. At the time, the actor was enjoying massive global success from the hit drama “Queen of Tears” when allegations surrounding his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron exploded online.

On March 31 last year, Kim Soo-hyun personally addressed the controversy in a tearful press conference. During the appearance, he acknowledged that he had dated Kim Sae-ron, but said the relationship began only after she became an adult.

Since then, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency Gold Medalist have continued legal action against Kim Se-ui and others over alleged defamation and the spread of false information.

With Kim Se-ui now jailed and police reportedly treating key evidence as AI-generated fabrication, the case has once again become a major topic in online discourse. Public attention is now shifting toward the outcome of the police investigation and whether Kim Soo-hyun will be able to fully recover his public image after more than a year of controversy.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.