Conflicting recordings bring new twist to Kim Soo-hyun controversy

Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

A new television report has added another twist to the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo-hyun, claiming that the same informant provided conflicting audio recordings to different parties before allegations against the actor gained widespread attention.

MBC's investigative program "Straight" reported Sunday that an informant who later supplied an audio file to YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, had previously approached Kim Soo-hyun's agency with a recording that allegedly contained the opposite account.

The report focused on police findings related to materials that were publicly released as evidence supporting allegations that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.

The allegations became a major topic in South Korea last year after HoverLab head Kim Se-ui released what he said was an audio recording of late actor Kim Sae-ron discussing a past relationship with Kim Soo-hyun. The recording was widely circulated online and cited by some as a key piece of evidence supporting claims that the relationship began while she was underage.

According to MBC, however, the informant behind the recording had contacted Kim Soo-hyun's agency about a month earlier and allegedly sought money in exchange for a different recording.

The report said that the recording offered to the actor's side included remarks indicating that the relationship did not begin when Kim Sae-ron was a minor. In contrast, the version later released publicly through HoverLab allegedly contained statements suggesting the relationship began during her middle school years.

MBC further reported that multiple recordings containing differing accounts were identified during the investigation.

Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative, attorney Ko Sang-rok, said the existence of several conflicting versions raised questions about the credibility of the recordings themselves.

The broadcast also cited police findings regarding other materials released during the controversy. According to MBC, investigators concluded that the audio recording publicized by HoverLab had been generated or altered using artificial intelligence technology. The program also reported that police determined that KakaoTalk messages presented as exchanges between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron could not be conclusively linked to the actor.

MBC said police found that the original chat records did not contain Kim Soo-hyun's profile image and that the identity of the conversation partner could not be verified.

The findings have drawn attention because the recording and chat screenshots had been among the most widely discussed pieces of evidence in the controversy.

Kim Se-ui has denied wrongdoing and previously maintained that the materials supported allegations involving Kim Soo-hyun. The matter remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings.

The controversy has had significant professional consequences for the actor. Disney+ postponed the release of its original series “Knock-Off,” while several major endorsement deals were reportedly affected.

With investigators reportedly questioning the authenticity of key materials and new details emerging about conflicting recordings, public attention is now shifting toward the legal battle surrounding the case and whether Kim Soo-hyun will resume entertainment activities in the coming months.

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