Kim Soo-hyun’s Controversial Press Conference: The Truth Behind His Relationship With Kim Sae-ron

South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has found himself at the center of a major controversy following a press conference where he addressed allegations regarding his past relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron. With netizens divided and speculation running wild, the actor took a stand against accusations of grooming, clarifying details about their relationship and legal action taken against Kim Sae-ron’s family.

On Monday, Kim Soo Hyun, accompanied by his lawyer, Kim Jong-bok, held a press conference to address the scrutiny surrounding his alleged relationship with late actors Kim Sae-ron and Sulli. This was the first time he publicly discussed the claims regarding Kim Sae-ron, who tragically passed away by suicide.

The actor opened the conference with an apology, stating:

“Firstly, I am sorry. Because of me, so many people are suffering. I also feel sorry that the late actor [Kim Sae-ron] isn’t able to rest in peace. I consider myself a coward. I have always been preoccupied with holding on to what I have. I couldn’t even trust the goodwill that came my way, always fearing loss, harm, and running away, denying everything. That’s why it took me so long to stand here today.”

Kim Soo Hyun Clarifies His Relationship With Kim Sae-ron

One of the biggest revelations from the press conference was Kim Soo Hyun confirming that he and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship, but only after she became an adult.

“I was in the same situation when [Kim Sae-ron] posted a picture of her and me when ‘Queen of Tears’ was airing. I was together with her for about a year, about four years before the drama aired. But at that time, I denied our relationship. I fully understand that criticizing my choice is justified.”

The actor admitted that he chose to hide their relationship to protect the cast and crew of Queen of Tears.

“When ‘Queen of Tears’ was airing, I had so much to protect as its lead actor. What would have happened if I had admitted to a year-long relationship? What would happen to the actors, the staff who were working overnight, and the production team who had everything staked on that project? What would happen to our agency’s employees?”

He took responsibility for his choices, acknowledging the criticism:

“I’m willing to receive any criticism that says I am selfish and cowardly.”

Addressing allegations of grooming, Kim Soo Hyun firmly denied dating Kim Sae-ron when she was underage.

“I couldn’t let it be. I couldn’t accept being coerced into accepting false accusations. I never dated [Kim Sae-ron] when she was a minor. Our relationship was like that of any ordinary couple. It is also not true that she made this tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.”

The actor also revealed that he had minimal contact with Kim Sae-ron after their breakup.

“We dated with good feelings, and after some time, we broke up. After that, we weren’t able to contact each other like we used to. Just like any other couple, contacting a lover after breaking up is a very cautious thing. I also couldn’t contact her easily when she had the DUI (driving under the influence) incident.”

He further clarified that Kim Sae-ron was dating someone else when her DUI scandal occurred, stating:

“From YouTube, I heard that the former CEO of the agency was having a hard time because of me when the drunk driving incident happened. But I was aware that the late actor was in a relationship with someone else. So I was very careful about contacting her.”

Kim Soo Hyun criticized the late actress’s family for their claims against him:

“The family of the late actor, just because I am her ex-boyfriend, is asserting that I pushed her to death. They are demanding that I confess to something I didn’t do. [They say] ‘You played with her even when she was a minor. You threatened her with money. So you are a murderer.’ I would like you to listen to this audio.”

To support his statements, Kim Soo Hyun played a voice recording between the CEO of Gold Medalist and a representative of Kim Sae-ron’s family to counter allegations that his agency pressured her over debt repayment.

“The voice recording disclosed by the late actor’s family is something that’s newly recorded. And the same goes for the KakaoTalk chat that the family initially revealed.”

He further clarified that his agency contacted Kim Sae-ron in 2019 strictly for professional reasons.

“These fake testimonials and evidence are piling up just because we dated.”

One of the most controversial aspects of the case involves text messages from 2016, allegedly showing flirtatious exchanges between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae-ron when she was still a minor.

Kim Soo Hyun denied these allegations, stating:

“They are framing me as a pedophile, accusing me of grooming based on KakaoTalk chats from 2016. The person having the conversation with the late actor is different in the KakaoTalk chats from 2016 and 2018. To prove this, I have requested forensic analysis on the chat records from 2016, 2018, and this year. The agency has shown that the chats were made by different people. There is evidence of photos, videos, and KakaoTalk messages that have been cleverly manipulated.”

Kim Soo Hyun Takes Legal Action Against Kim Sae-ron’s Family

During the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun’s lawyer announced that the actor has filed a lawsuit against Kim Sae-ron’s family and other involved parties.

“We have filed a complaint against the family of the deceased and Hoverlab operators while filing a damages claim worth 12 billion won to the Supreme Central District Court.”

Previously, Gold Medalist, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, acknowledged his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron but clarified that they only started dating in 2019, after she became a legal adult.

Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference aimed to clear his name, but the controversy remains a heated debate among netizens. While he has admitted to hiding his relationship with Kim Sae-ron, he has strongly denied any allegations of grooming or involvement in her tragic passing.

As the legal battle unfolds, the truth behind the accusations will continue to be scrutinized. Whether his statements will be enough to restore his public image remains to be seen.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.