The tragic passing of actress Kim Sae-ron has brought renewed attention to her past relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun, as more details emerge about their history and alleged financial disputes.

On March 11, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (GaSeYeon) released photos of Kim Soo-hyun kissing Kim Sae-ron on the cheek, along with text messages provided by Kim Sae-ron's family. On March 12, legal documents from Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, demanding repayment from Kim Sae-ron, were also made public.

Kim Sae-ron joined Gold Medalist in 2020, reportedly at Kim Soo-hyun's recommendation. The agency, co-founded by Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin Lee Ro-un, was newly established at the time, and Kim Sae-ron was their first recruited artist.

Following Kim Sae-ron's DUI incident, Gold Medalist covered 700 million KRW (approximately $520,000) in damages and contract penalties. However, in December of that year, she parted ways with the agency without renewing her contract.

Struggling financially after halting her career, Kim Sae-ron later received a formal legal notice demanding repayment of the 700 million KRW. According to her family, Kim Sae-ron had already paid for damages related to the accident, including the repair costs for the damaged transformer and surrounding businesses, using her own money, without any assistance from the agency.

The legal dispute reportedly caused immense stress for Kim Sae-ron. She had planned to repay the loan gradually through future acting projects, but Gold Medalist sent a notice stating that if she did not repay the full amount immediately, they would take civil and criminal legal action against her.

At the time, Kim Soo-hyun was seen as the only person who could help her. Kim Sae-ron allegedly reached out to him multiple times via calls and messages, but never received a response. Eventually, she found that his phone number had changed, leaving her unable to contact him at all.

In one of her final text messages, Kim Sae-ron pleaded, "Oppa, it's me, Sae-ron. I received the legal notice. They said they'd give me time, so I've been working hard to prepare for my comeback. I planned to repay little by little with every project. I'm not saying I won't pay it back, but I can't afford to give them 700 million KRW all at once. It's not that I don't want to, I just can't. Does it really have to go to a lawsuit?"

Kim Sae-ron's family maintains that she and Kim Soo-hyun were in a romantic relationship, saying, "Sae-ron pushed forward with joining Gold Medalist despite her parents' objections because she cared deeply for Kim Soo-hyun." However, Gold Medalist continues to deny the dating rumors, insisting that they are "completely unfounded."

Adding to the tragic timeline, Kim Sae-ron passed away on February 16, 2025-Kim Soo-hyun's birthday.

Before her death, Kim Sae-ron endured ongoing online harassment and relentless scrutiny from YouTube gossip channels. Now, her family has taken on that burden. On March 12, Korean media The Fact conducted a phone interview with Kim Sae-ron's aunt, who has been acting as the family's spokesperson. She expressed her determination to challenge Gold Medalist's narrative, stating, "We view their response as a case of defamation against the deceased and will take all necessary legal action."

Full Interview with Kim Sae-ron's Aunt (Translation)

THE FACT: First of all, what exactly does the ₩700 million KRW (about $483,000 USD) in damages, as mentioned in the certified document sent by her former agency, cover?

Kim Sae Ron's Aunt: After the DUI accident, Sae Ron covered all costs for damages, including the broken transformer and repairs to nearby shops, with her own money and without the assistance of her agency. She exhausted every possible resource to repay what she could, but she had no means to pay off the remaining amount. From what I know, the financial loss incurred by the production company of the Netflix show Bloodhounds, due to her DUI accident was roughly around ₩700 million KRW (about $483,000 USD). While this amount was officially recorded as having been repaid by the agency, according to Sae Ron, she said that Kim Soo Hyun personally lent her the money.

There were reports that the total financial damage from her DUI, including contract penalties, amounted to 20 billion KRW ($15 million). Is that true?

"That's an exaggeration. Sae-ron was not a top-tier star with that level of endorsement contracts. The 20 billion KRW figure likely refers to the entire production cost of Bloodhounds, which had to be rewritten and reshot. In reality, the final amount Sae-ron was held responsible for was around 700 million KRW."

Bloodhounds was a Netflix original series released in June 2023. Directed by Kim Joo-hwan, known for Midnight Runners and The Divine Fury, the eight-episode drama starred Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi, Park Sung-woong, and Heo Jun-ho. Despite production setbacks, the show topped global streaming charts within a week of its release.

Why do you think Gold Medalist pressured her to repay the debt instead of helping her recover?

"We know Sae-ron was at fault for the DUI, but sending her a legal notice with three law firms listed, demanding 700 million KRW from someone without the means to pay, was ruthless. Maybe they believed she wouldn't be able to make a comeback, so they wanted to cut ties completely. They may have also wanted to erase any association with her past relationship with Kim Soo-hyun."

"Sae-ron once told me that Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin had an argument about the debt repayment issue. Maybe, at one point, he did want to help her."

Were Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun actually in a relationship?

"Why would her family lie about this after her death? Sae-ron told us about their relationship before she joined Gold Medalist. Given their age gap, calling them a couple might not seem appropriate, but they genuinely cared for each other. She insisted on joining Gold Medalist despite her parents' objections because of him. Her parents were deeply concerned about the age difference, but Sae-ron was firm in her decision."

Looking back, what is your biggest regret?

"I regret that we couldn't protect Sae-ron from the suffering she endured. We are also deeply disappointed in her former agency. When they recruited her, Kim Soo-hyun reassured her family, saying, 'I'll take full responsibility, don't worry.' But when things got tough, instead of supporting her, they pushed her further into a corner. If an agency can't protect its artists in difficult times, then who can?"

Kim Sae-ron's aunt also vowed to take legal action against YouTubers who harassed her niece, specifically naming former entertainment journalist L. She expressed her support for a National Assembly petition calling for stronger legal measures against privacy violations by YouTubers.

"The petition runs until March 26. I hope more people join so we can strengthen laws against reckless online harassment. Even though Sae-ron is gone, I don't want another young person to suffer the same fate due to irresponsible media speculation." she said, her voice trembling.

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