Family of tragic Korean Netflix star Kim Sae-Ron accuse actor of dating her when she was just 15 and make bombshell whistleblower stabbing claim months after her suicide aged 24
The family of one of South Korea 's most promising young actresses, who tragically took her own life in February, has accused an A-list actor of dating her when she was just 15.
Kim Soo-hyun, the 37-year-old star of Netflix 's Queen of Tears who strongly denied all claims, was accused by the family of Kim Sae-ron of dating the late actress when she was underage.
The actress' family also accused his talent agency of pressuring her through legal channels to repay a debt she incurred over a drink-driving fine.
Kim Sae-ron tragically took her own life in February at the age of 24, following months of scrutiny and abuse after she was fined 20 million won (£11,000) for a 2022 drink-driving incident.
Talent agency Gold Medalist, which both actors were part of, covered compensation for this incident, but was later accused of aggressively pursuing a repayment for the debt, which many believed contributed to her declining mental health.
The scrutiny of the actress' life did not stop after her death, and weeks after her death a YouTube channel infamous for its controversial political content claimed that she and Kim Soo-hyun had been dating since she was 15, later sharing photos and videos claimed to have been taking during their relationship.
Last month, the Korea Times reported a lawyer representing Kim Sae-ron's family revealed messages that allegedly showed the two actors had been talking since she was at least 16 years old.
On Wednesday, the lawyer, Bu Ji-seok, revealed at a press conference that he had filed a lawsuit against Kim Soo-hyun, alleging violations of South Korea's Child Welfare Act and defamation.
During this press conference, Bu Ji-seok made the explosive claim that a whistleblower who provided an audio recording which they said showed Kim Sae-ron confirming that she had sex with Kim Soo-hyun while she was in the eight grade, the equivalent of Year 9 in the UK, was stabbed after refusing a bribe to hide the tape.
According to Bu Ji-seok, the young actress allegedly claimed in the 90-minute tape, made with her consent, that he also sent her pictures of him sleeping with an idol, a colloquial term for a K-Pop star, who was not named.
The informant was allegedly stabbed nine times while in New Jersey by two men on May 1 in a case that the lawyer said is now being investigated by the FBI.
Though Kim Soo-hyun was initially silent in response to the initial allegations, in March he began denying them.
At first, his agency said the pair were never a couple, but later said that they had dated in 2019 and 2020, when Kim Sae-ron was an adult.
At a press conference at the end of March, Kim Soo-hyun said: 'I never dated her when she was a minor.
'Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like that of any other ordinary couple.'
He also denied claims that 'she made the tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.'
South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun, embroiled in controversy over his relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron, who was found dead in February, reacts during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, March 31, 2025
Kim Soo-hyun filed lawsuits over allegations of defamation and stalking against the family and related parties and is seeking 12 billion won (£6.4million) in damages.
Her family has also requested an official police investigation into the alleged abuse, as well as police protection.
Despite Soo-hyun adamantly denying that he dated her while she was underage, the speculation has tarnished his squeaky clean image.
The actor has already lost multiple endorsement deals and has been dropped as a brand ambassador by Prada.
Soo-hyun is currently in the midst of filming a new series for Disney+, but a representative for the streamer has confirmed that no release date for the project has been set, leaving its future in doubt.
Many fashion brands have also put their relationship with him on ice, including Prada, which announced in March that it had it had mutually decided to end its collaboration with him.
This followed similar moves from Dinto, a Korean cosmetic brand.
Prior to the scandal, Soo-hyun was the biggest male star of his generation.
He first shot to major fame in the 2011 teen drama Dream High, before skyrocketing to A-list status across Asian thanks to the back-to-back successes of the dramas Moon Embracing the Sun and My Love From The Stars.
After a hiatus, he returned to the top of the industry with his comeback role in the romantic comedy series Queen of Tears, which became the highest-rated show in its network's history.
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