Kim Soo-hyun fights back against ‘false evidence’ in scandal tied to late Kim Sae-ron

Late actress Kim Sae-ron, left, and actor Kim Soo-hyun / Xportsnews

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has launched a full-scale counteroffensive against YouTuber Kim Sae-ui and the late actress Kim Sae-ron’s family, accusing them of spreading false claims about his alleged underage relationship with Kim.

Kho Sang-rock, Kim’s legal representative, released a video on his YouTube channel on Monday titled “Official stance on the GaroSero case — fabricated evidence, distorted truth,” where he systematically disputed the claims that fueled the controversy.

“This incident began when Kim Sae-ui based his accusations on a false statement left by the late Kim Sae-ron,” Kho said. “He used photos taken when the two were adults and falsely presented them as proof of a relationship during her teenage years.”

He added, “Kim Sae-ui claimed he had thousands of photos but has yet to show even one.”

Kho publicly questioned both Kim Sae-ui and Kim Sae-ron’s family to “explain on what grounds they concluded that the KakaoTalk conversations from June 2016 and April 13, 2018, involved Kim Soo-hyun.”

He alleged that the GaroSero Institute fabricated evidence by placing “a letter Kim sent during his military service next to a postcard exchanged during his adult relationship to make them appear as the same period.”

“They forged the sender information in the KakaoTalk messages and doctored photos from her adult years to look like they were taken when Kim Sae-ron was a minor,” Kho said. “Knowing the evidence was false, they manipulated it for personal gain. This is not just defamation but an organized, nationwide fraud crime that destroyed a person’s reputation.”

Kho Sang-rok, legal representative of actor Kim Soo-hyun, speaks in a video on his YouTube channel. Captured from Kho's YouTube channel

Kho also said that at the time of the alleged messages, Kim was “fully occupied with filming the movie ‘Real,'” and no verification process was conducted before naming him as the sender.

He added, “They replaced the chat window’s name and profile picture with Kim’s real name and face to make it look authentic, then spread it through broadcasts and press conferences. These false claims were even reported overseas, turning it into a global smear campaign.”

Earlier this year, Kim Sae-ron’s family claimed via the GaroSero Institute that Kim Soo-hyun dated the actress for six years, starting when she was a middle school student. Kim’s agency acknowledged a past relationship but clarified that “the two dated only after she became an adult, from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020.”

After the allegations went viral, public sentiment turned sharply against Kim, leading him to suspend activities. Several brands he endorsed reportedly filed damage claims, reflecting the steep fallout.

In a previous disclosure, Kho shared letters Kim wrote to an ex-girlfriend during his military service, arguing they clearly disproved claims of an underage relationship with Kim Sae-ron.

Kim’s team continues to deny any relationship during Kim Sae-ron’s minor years and is pursuing legal action alongside a public rebuttal campaign. With the controversy now reframed around alleged evidence fabrication, observers are watching to see whether the actor — once one of Korea’s most bankable stars — can regain his reputation and resume his career.

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