Full Statement: Kim Soo-hyun Responds to Controversy Involving Late Actress Kim Sae-ron

“I’m an actor who has received so much love...”

"I’m an actor who has received so much love. But originally, I wasn’t someone who had much. Now, I have a lot to protect.


While filming Queen of Tears, there were so many things I needed to protect—as the lead actor of the drama. If I had admitted back then that I was in a relationship with someone I had dated for years, what would have happened? What would have happened to the fellow actors I worked with, the staff who stayed up all night on set, the production company that gave everything for this project, and the employees of my agency?


Every time I was faced with a choice between 'Kim Soo-hyun the person' and 'Kim Soo-hyun the star,' I chose to be 'Kim Soo-hyun the star.'


That’s why I was scared every single day—scared that the decisions I made to protect myself as a star might end up hurting me. But even if I could go back to that time, I would make the same decision."

 “Even now, I’m afraid of what my words might cause...”

"No matter how much I think about it, I can’t make decisions just for the sake of my own comfort. I believed this was the price of choosing the life of a public figure.


If anyone sees my decision as selfish or greedy, I will accept the criticism. And to everyone who has cared for me, I offer my sincere apology.


Even now, as I speak, I feel anxious and scared about what consequences my words may bring. But I realized—I can’t remain silent forever.


People said to me: 'You can handle this smoothly. Just show a little acceptance, let time pass, and people will forget. Then you can prepare for your comeback.' If I had listened to that advice, maybe my personal life with the late actress wouldn’t have been exposed in this way.


I wouldn’t have been threatened every day about what photos might be released tomorrow, or what else might be revealed. I wouldn’t have been humiliated by leaked images from my private life.


But I couldn’t accept being forced to admit things that never actually happened."

 “There are some things I want to clarify clearly…”

"I know there are a lot of things you’re curious about. So let me be very clear:



I did not date the deceased when she was underage.Her tragic decision was not caused by me, or by my agency pressuring her over her debts. Our relationship was like any normal couple—we met with good feelings, and with time, we broke up.


After we broke up, we barely kept in touch. We were cautious when it came to interacting because we were both known to the public.


Even when the drunk driving incident happened, it wasn’t easy for me to contact her. I heard through a YouTube channel that represents her family that the CEO of her most recent agency said she was struggling because of me. But I knew she was dating someone else at that time, and I was very careful about approaching her.


At that point, we were already living separate lives. I didn’t know what to say to her. Maybe what I’m saying now will sound like an excuse, but I thought it was best to stay quiet, no matter what the world said."

 “About the evidence shared by the late actress’s family…”

"The family of the deceased claims that I’m responsible for her death because I was her ex-boyfriend. That I took advantage of her when she was underage. That I pressured her financially. And that all of this led to her tragic end.


So I ask you to listen to this audio recording.


In a recently recorded phone call, the CEO of her last agency claimed that my agency pressured her over her debts. But one year ago, she said something completely different.


Also, the KakaoTalk messages the family shared contain many inconsistencies. For example, there’s a photo they claim is from 2016—but it’s actually from 2019.


And the deceased would never have made mistakes about things like my age, or the name of the agency she worked with for four years."


Following recent controversy and public speculation, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency GOLDMEDALIST have officially taken legal steps to defend the actor’s name and clarify the facts.

“After the press conference, attorney Kim Jung-bok, representing Kim Soo-hyun, stated:

‘Actor Kim Soo-hyun and his agency GOLDMEDALIST have decided to take legal action against the involved parties in order to reveal the truth. Our law firm has been assigned this case. Today, we have filed a complaint against members of the deceased actress’s family, an unidentified woman claiming to be her aunt, and employees of HoverLab Inc.

The charges include defamation and violation of the Information and Communications Network Act. This complaint also includes the psychological report that Kim Soo-hyun previously referenced.’”