Kim Soo-hyun Strikes Back: Takes Legal Action Against Garo Sero Institute (Full Statement)

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has finally expressed his anger toward the YouTube channel Garosero Institute (hereafter "Gaseyeon").

On March 20, Kim’s agency, Gold Medalist, issued an official statement addressing Gaseyeon’s release of private photos and confirming that they have taken legal action.

The statement specifically refers to a photo revealed by Gaseyeon on March 15, which shows Kim Soo-hyun washing dishes at Kim Sae-ron’s house. Kim’s agency stated, "A photo of Kim Soo-hyun without his pants was uploaded during a live broadcast on the YouTube channel run by Gaseyeon’s operator, Kim Se-eui. Additionally, an unidentified individual claiming to be the late Kim Sae-ron’s relative provided Kim Se-eui with the photo, leading to its publication."

As a result, Kim Soo-hyun has filed a criminal complaint against those involved, citing violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (distribution of illegally recorded materials).

Gold Medalist further stated, "The photo in question was taken when Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, who was an adult at the time, were in a relationship. It captures a part of Kim Soo-hyun’s body in a way that could cause sexual humiliation, and it is a private image that should never have been made public. There is no justification for its release."

The agency also emphasized, "The false rumors spread by Kim Sae-ron’s family and Gaseyeon continue to circulate online in real-time, fueling baseless speculation. Given the severity of this unauthorized distribution, which cannot be overlooked, we had no choice but to proceed with legal action against Kim Sae-ron’s relatives as well."

Gold Medalist warned that publicly sharing or distributing explicit images of another person without their consent is a serious crime and stated that Gaseyeon has threatened to release additional photos. The agency declared that it will take strong legal measures against such actions.

Finally, the statement concluded with a firm warning: "If Kim Sae-ron’s family and Garosero continue to spread false information, we will have no choice but to take full-scale legal action to protect the reputation of our actor and agency."

Gold Medalist’s Official Statement

1. Gold Medalist, as the management agency for Kim Soo-hyun, has filed a criminal complaint against Kim Se-eui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garosero Institute (hereafter “Gaseyeon”), as well as an unidentified individual claiming to be the late Kim Sae-ron’s relative. The complaint is based on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (distribution of illegally recorded materials). This action follows the dissemination of a photo in which Kim Soo-hyun was filmed with his pants down, which was broadcasted live on Gaseyeon’s channel. The agency also holds responsible those who provided this photo to Kim Se-eui, enabling its publication.

2. As stated in our previous statement, Gold Medalist deeply mourns the passing of Kim Sae-ron, who was once under our agency. However, the photo of Kim Soo-hyun that Gaseyeon published was taken when Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, who was an adult at the time, were in a relationship. This image includes parts of Kim Soo-hyun’s body in a way that could cause sexual humiliation and was never meant to be made public. There is no justification for its release. Publishing such an image on YouTube constitutes a clear criminal act. Moreover, Gaseyeon has threatened to release additional similar photos, effectively attempting to blackmail Kim Soo-hyun. Given the severity of the situation, Gold Medalist has no choice but to take strong legal action.

The unauthorized distribution or public exhibition of images depicting another person’s body in a sexually humiliating manner without their consent is a serious crime. We strongly urge that such violations do not continue.

3. Additionally, false information spread by Kim Sae-ron’s family and Gaseyeon continues to circulate online in real time, fueling baseless rumors. Out of respect for the late Kim Sae-ron, Gold Medalist has refrained from taking legal action against her family. However, the unauthorized distribution of Kim Soo-hyun’s image is an extremely serious violation that cannot be ignored. Given the risk of repeated offenses, we are left with no choice but to proceed with legal action against Kim Sae-ron’s family as well.

Should Kim Sae-ron’s family or Gaseyeon continue to spread false information, Gold Medalist will have no choice but to pursue comprehensive legal action to protect our actor and our agency’s reputation