Kim Soo-hyun’s side hints at $19 mil. lawsuit, says actor’s life was 'destroyed'

Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

Kim Soo-hyun’s legal team gave its first major interview following the arrest of a controversial Youtuber, who it accused of orchestrating a campaign built on fabricated evidence that “completely destroyed” the actor’s reputation and daily life.

Attorney Ko Sang-rok, the actor's legal representative, appeared on MBC’s “News Today” on Thursday and outlined the allegations facing Kim Se-ui, head of the YouTube channel, HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute.

Ko said the charges include defamation through false information, blackmail, unauthorized distribution of recorded material and violations of Korea’s anti-stalking law.

He said Kim Se-ui spread false claims alleging that Kim Soo-hyun had dated late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor and that the actor’s agency pressured her to repay debts, allegedly contributing to her death.

Ko further alleged that materials including KakaoTalk messages and voice recordings attributed to Kim Sae-ron had been manipulated to support those claims.

Kim Se-ui was recently arrested over accusations involving fabricated evidence and the spread of false information connected to the actor. The court issued an arrest warrant, citing concerns over destruction of evidence and flight risk.

“This case is not merely about the possibility of evidence destruction. The essence of the crime itself is evidence fabrication,” Ko said during the interview.

He added that multiple individuals were allegedly involved, raising concerns about coordination between related parties.

Ko Sang-rok / Captured from MBC

One of the controversy’s biggest flashpoints involved an alleged voice recording of the late actress. Ko argued there were “multiple circumstances” suggesting the recording had been manipulated, both in terms of its source and content.

He described the provider of the recording as an individual known as “Kali Park,” whom he characterized as unreliable due to what he called “fantastical claims,” including allegations involving hired killers.

Ko also questioned the credibility of the recordings themselves, saying the conversational flow and content between separate files did not match. He added that the original files were never submitted and that the source has since disappeared.

Addressing online speculation involving the National Forensic Service, Ko said previous media reports claiming the recordings were judged “inconclusive” had spread widely online, but no official forensic report has been publicly disclosed or verified.

“A technical inability to determine authenticity does not mean the material is genuine,” he said.

Ko also accused Kim Se-ui’s side of manipulating KakaoTalk screenshots by allegedly changing profile photos and names to make conversations between Kim Sae-ron and another individual appear as though they were exchanged with Kim Soo-hyun.

“That night, hundreds of articles poured out,” Ko said. “The plan to manipulate public perception through falsified materials succeeded.”

Kim Se-ui / Xportsnews

According to the lawyer, Kim Se-ui’s alleged motive was to continuously amplify sensational allegations in order to gain views, influence and financial profit through donations and sponsorship revenue.

Ko described the case as an “unprecedented incident involving the fabrication of even core materials such as KakaoTalk conversations and voice recordings,” adding that it was “a collective and planned social crime intended to destroy the reputation and life of an innocent victim and globally loved actor.”

The interview also revealed the possible scale of Kim Soo-hyun’s civil damages claim. Ko said the actor’s side initially filed a lawsuit seeking 12 billion won ($8.7 million) shortly after the controversy emerged, but the amount could rise after reassessing the damages.

According to materials submitted to investigators, Ko said Kim Soo-hyun’s side currently estimates losses at around 30 billion won, raising the possibility of a massive damages claim.

Ko concluded by saying the legal team would continue helping the actor recover his daily life and return to the public through future projects.

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