DID one of South Korea’s biggest Hallyu stars have a secret romance with a teen actress? That’s the explosive claim shaking the entertainment world, with rumors swirling that actor Kim Soo-hyun was allegedly in a long-term relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron—starting when she was just 15 and he was 27.
The claims, which have been widely circulated on social media, originated from a video posted by the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute.
In the video, Kim Sae-ron’s aunt reportedly revealed that the actress had dated Kim Soo-hyun for six years. The claims have fuelled significant controversy, particularly given the age gap between the two actors at the time the relationship allegedly started.
According to media reports, the allegations also included that Kim Sae-ron chose to join Gold Medalist, the entertainment agency co-founded by Kim Soo-hyun, despite receiving offers from other companies.
She was allegedly deeply involved in the agency, working behind the scenes to mentor new actors without financial compensation.
Following her drink-driving incident, which led to financial penalties, it has been claimed that Kim Soo-hyun lent Kim Sae-ron 700 million won without setting a repayment deadline.
However, she later received a formal debt notice for the amount, which she suspected was issued by Lee Ro-bae, Kim Soo-hyun’s relative and co-executive at Gold Medalist, rather than the actor himself.
Additionally, reports suggest that Kim Sae-ron attempted to contact Kim Soo-hyun for clarification, but he allegedly ignored her calls.
Feeling cornered, she posted a photograph of herself with Kim Soo-hyun in March 2024, in what some sources claim was an attempt to elicit a response from him after the Gold Medalist had demanded repayment of the loan. This move reportedly intensified speculation about their relationship.
Kim Sae-ron was reportedly under significant emotional distress following a series of negative comments from former journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin-ho, which were often followed by media coverage that cast her in a negative light.
According to her family, she was closely monitored due to concerns over her mental health, and her cousin stayed by her side to provide support.
Her father later blamed Lee Jin-ho for her deteriorating mental state, stating in an interview that he held the YouTuber responsible for the emotional turmoil that led to her death.
It has also been alleged that Kim Sae-ron had drafted a statement about her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun before her passing. In the unpublished statement, she claimed that the couple had dated from Nov 19, 2015, until July 7, 2021.
She also detailed her experiences within Gold Medalist, expressing grievances over contractual disputes and financial pressures.
In response to these allegations, Gold Medalist has categorically denied all claims and announced legal action against Garo Sero Research Institute.
The agency issued a statement refuting the accusations, emphasising that the allegations made by Garo Sero Research Institute regarding actor Kim Soo-hyun are entirely false. It clarified that the claims suggesting the agency and Kim Soo-hyun collaborated with YouTuber Lee Jin-ho to harass the late Kim Sae-ron are baseless and malicious.
They also condemned the spread of misinformation, asserting that it cannot overlook these false claims and is currently reviewing the strongest possible legal actions to address the situation.
Gold Medalist also expressed its sorrow over Kim Sae-ron’s passing, acknowledging that she was once part of the agency. However, it stressed that the false information propagated by Garo Sero Research Institute amounts to cyber harassment and defamation against the late actress.
The agency vowed to take strict action in response and urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information and sincerely requested that these groundless rumors no longer be circulated, expanded, or reproduced.
Speculation about Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron’s relationship initially surfaced in early 2024 when Kim Sae-ron unexpectedly uploaded a photograph of the two on social media before swiftly deleting it.
At the time, Gold Medalist denied any romantic involvement between the actors and claimed they were unaware of why the image had been posted.
The controversy surrounding Kim Soo-hyun has intensified in light of Kim Sae-ron’s passing on Feb 16, 2025, at the age of 25. The circumstances surrounding her death have prompted renewed scrutiny of the actor, with some observers noting that she passed away on his birthday, further fuelling speculation.
As the scandal continues to unfold, the entertainment industry remains divided, with some calling for a thorough investigation while others criticise the spread of unverified claims.
Gold Medalist’s legal action against Garo Sero Research Institute is expected to move forward as the agency aims to clear Kim Soo-hyun’s name and put an end to the circulating allegations.
However, the full story remains uncovered, and the truth has yet to come to light.