‘Sent fake audio to Kim Soo Hyun': Whistleblower admits to fabricating Kim Sae Ron recording, used internet photos, blames tension with wife for confusion

Indian Express

09-05-2025

Garosero Research Institute's recent claims against actor Kim Soo Hyun seem to have backfired after 'acquaintance A', also known as the whistleblower in the case, backtracked his earlier statement and blamed a 'misunderstanding with his wife' for the confusion. According to a report by Allkpop, the person claiming to be from New Jersey, who endured a brutal attack and said he was stabbed nine times in the neck area for holding sensitive information in the Kim Soo Hyun dating controversy, has since changed his statement and said the injury was only to his arms. Earlier, on May 7, Garosero and Kim Sae Ron's family attorney held a press conference where they presented an audio recording as alleged evidence against the Queen of Tears star, claiming the voice discussing a sexual relationship belonged to Kim Sae Ron. They claimed it was a conversation between Sae Ron and a man identified as Mr. A.
Also read: FBI involved in Kim Soo Hyun's case, whistleblower's wife thanks actor Kim Won Bin for quiet support after brutal stabbing
Garo Sero Research Institute (also known as Hoverlab) claimed that the FBI has started an investigation into the case after the individual was attacked, and 'he suffered severe lacerations on both arms.' A video was sent by Mr. A from the hospital, where he showed himself filming the video with his right hand because he could not move his left hand at all after the accident, while also showing injuries on his hand. 'My hand shakes when I try to film my right shoulder. Because of nerve issues, I can't remove the bandage on my fingers by myself. Initially, the wounds wouldn't stop bleeding, but now they are clotting.' A medical report was then presented during the press conference, which only confirmed a deep cut on his right shoulder, not his neck, as was initially claimed. But he was seen using the same hand, his supposedly injured arm, to film the video.
Also read: Kim Soo Hyun says 'fraudster' contacted him first, calls out 'AI-generated' audio of Kim Sae Ron admitting to sexual relationship at age 14
On the other hand, it was revealed that the photos of his wounds shown earlier were pulled from a stock photo website. When asked about the inconsistencies, Mr. A shifted the blame. 'My white wife caused some misunderstandings. There was a lot of tension between us,' he said. He then added that in the middle of the mess, he had sent Garo Sero a voice message explaining the photos. 'At the time of the incident, I couldn't contact my family directly. So I just sent a voice message to the (Garosero) producer explaining that the photos were from the hospital to show what the injuries looked like.' He seemed frustrated and said, 'Isn't it ridiculous to take photos of someone being stabbed? What wife would pull out a camera while her husband is being attacked?'
Later, Mr. A admitted to deliberately manipulating the audio file where Sae Ron allegedly claimed to have had a physical relationship with Kim Soo Hyun at the age of 14. He admitted he sent a fake version of it to Kim Soo Hyun's agency, saying: 'I sent it to them on purpose. If I didn't, they would've thought I was a spy. So I sent them something absurd on purpose.' His reason didn't make much sense, and overall, his statements felt all over the place.
Actor-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, who has been voicing support for Kim Soo Hyun from the very start, held a separate press conference and backed this up with forensic evidence. According to him, the clip wasn't just fake, it was likely made using AI voice technology, mixed with background noise and Mr. A's own voice. He said, 'I was stunned by how far AI has advanced.' He also claimed that Mr. A tried to extort money from Kim Soo Hyun's side, but the team didn't fall for it.