The family of the late actor Kim Sae-ron has submitted a complaint to the police against YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, alleging that he spread false claims about her past relationship with actor Kim Soo Hyun. Also read: Kim Sae-ron’s mother ‘furious’ by Kim Soo Hyun’s agency statement on daughter; preps for rebuttal
Kim Sae-Ron’s family takes action
As per a Soompi report, a press conference was held on March 17 at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul. It was attended by Bu Ji Seok, the legal representative of Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family, Kwon Young Chan, the director of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association, and Kim Se Eui, the head of HoverLab Inc.
At the press conference, Kim Se Eui said, “This press conference marks the beginning of the first lawsuit, and we will continue to pursue legal action from this point forward”. He reiterated the demand for Kim Soo Hyun to issue a public apology.
The statement read, “In our hearts, we wish to file charges under the crime of murder. However, as defamation does not fall under the methods of murder according to legal precedents, we regretfully hope that the fact that the deceased’s death is causally linked to YouTuber Lee Jin Ho’s dissemination of false information will be fully reflected in the sentencing, leading to the strictest possible punishment”.
It claimed, “On March 24, 2024, the deceased uploaded a photo of her with her ex Kim Soo Hyun. This was because she had received a certification of contents demanding repayment of debts from Kim Soo Hyun’s agency. Hoping that Kim Soo Hyun might not be involved in this matter, she attempted to contact him, but when there was no response, she briefly uploaded the photo, thinking it might prompt him to reach out. However, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, for reasons unknown, not only denied the past romantic relationship between the deceased and Kim Soo Hyun but also spread false information that portrayed the deceased in a negative light, making her appear as an unusual or problematic person. This caused the deceased to suffer extreme mental anguish, ultimately driving her to make an irreversible decision”.
At the moment, her family is asking “for understanding regarding the necessity of revealing the deceased’s past relationship with Kim Soo Hyun in order to prove the falsehoods spread by YouTuber Lee Jin Ho”.
The legal team also addressed the matters related to Kim Soo Hyun at the press conference, saying Kim Soo Hyun’s “repeated false statements have caused further distress to the bereaved family”. They hope that he will offer a “heartfelt apology”.
They asserted that they are reviewing potential legal actions against Kim Soo Hyun and his representatives.
What we know about the controversy
Kim Sae-ron was 24 when she was found dead at her home on February 16, her funeral was held on February 19. The police ruled her death a suicide. In 2022, the actor was in the news when she faced DUI charges, for which she tendered an apology. However, she received harsh criticism for it and was bullied on social media.
Now, there are allegations that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae-ron for years when he was in his 30s and she was underage. His agency that initially denied them ever dating admitted they did once personal pictures and letters were shared. They, however, denied that the couple dated when she was a minor. He has also been accused of pressuring her to “repay a 700 million won (approximately $481,200)” penalty. His agency denied the allegations.
Now, the lawsuit is the result of frustration from Kim Sae-ron’s family with regard to Lee Jin Ho repeatedly publishing defamatory content about the actor through his YouTube channel. The family is claiming that his videos contained misleading and inaccurate narratives, which damaged Kim Sae-ron’s career, mental well-being, and personal life.
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