Allegations Mount in Kim Soo-hyun & Kim Sae-ron Case—Teen Encounter, Threats to Informant

The family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron has formally filed a criminal complaint against actor Kim Soo-hyun, accusing him of violating the Child Welfare Act and making false allegations.

A press conference organized by the family was held on May 7 at 2 p.m. in Samseong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. Present at the event were lawyer Bu Ji-seok from the law firm Buyu and Kim Se-ui, CEO of the controversial YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon).

According to the statement issued at the press conference, the family alleges that Kim Soo-hyun coerced Kim Sae-ron into lewd acts and sexually harassed her while she was a minor.

An informant, referred to as “A,” who is assisting the family, reportedly refused a multi-billion won offer in exchange for keeping evidence hidden. The informant later became the victim of a knife attack and was left in critical condition. The attacker was identified as an ethnic Korean from China who had recently entered the United States, and it is alleged that a Korean national accompanied the attacker to the location of the assault.

The family also stated that vehicles suspected of stalking have been seen near the residence of Kim Sae-ron’s aunt and that they have requested police protection for the informant’s safety.

During the press conference, Gaseyeon CEO Kim Se-ui claimed to have received an audio recording from an informant in New Jersey. In the recording, a voice identified as Kim Sae-ron says, “I dated Su-hyun oppa… you’ll say I’m crazy, but we were together since I was in middle school, and broke up when I went to college.” She adds, “Su-hyun oppa and the people from Gold Medalist [his agency] are scary—they’ll do anything. Please, you must protect me.” She also said, “It’s insane, but I’ve felt used since middle school.”

The speaker further alleged, “If I had the means, I would’ve exposed everything a long time ago.” Referring to her first intimate experience with Kim Soo-hyun, she said, “It happened during winter break of my second year in middle school. Looking back… maybe I was taken advantage of.” She emphasized, “Not many people know this, but those who do all say the same thing: how could they have just let it happen?”

Back in March, the family publicly released photos showing physical intimacy between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, alleging an inappropriate relationship with a minor. At the time, Kim Soo-hyun denied all accusations, claiming the relationship began only after Kim Sae-ron became an adult.

In response, Kim Soo-hyun held his own press conference asserting his innocence and filed defamation lawsuits against the family and Gaseyeon. He is also pursuing a ₩12 billion civil lawsuit for damages and has filed an additional complaint against Gaseyeon for violating anti-stalking laws. In turn, the family is countering with a false accusation claim.

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