The mother of the late actress Kim Sae-ron has spoken out for the first time, breaking her silence to defend her daughter's reputation and call out the media for spreading misinformation.

On the afternoon of March 14, YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (GaSeYeon) released a recorded message from Kim Sae-ron's mother, in which she shared her family's stance and expressed deep frustration over how her daughter was portrayed.

"After much deliberation, I decided to release this statement after seeing how our family's intentions were distorted and misrepresented," she said. "Our only goal is to restore my child's honor, which was completely destroyed in an instant by numerous false reports."

She firmly denied various rumors that have surrounded Kim Sae-ron since her passing. "Sae-ron never pretended to work part-time as a publicity stunt. She wasn't someone who only hung out at clubs with friends. She never manipulated photos to create dating rumors," she stated.

Kim's mother also condemned certain YouTubers, including Lee Jin-ho and cyber-reporter accounts, for what she described as relentless attacks on her daughter's reputation. "These cyber-leakers fabricated news and dragged my daughter, a promising young actress, and our family into hell," she said. "Gold Medalist, instead of standing by her, dismissed her actions as the behavior of a reckless girl, saying they didn't understand why she posted certain photos."

Describing her daughter's isolation in the face of online criticism, she continued, "Sae-ron had no one except her family. Every vicious arrow of false reports was aimed at a young girl who had just turned 20. For three years, she endured everything alone, unable to sleep, struggling in silence 24 hours a day."

She also took aim at the invasive behavior of the media, particularly during her daughter's funeral. "Even as we were mourning our child, YouTubers snuck cameras into the funeral home and reporters called us non-stop. Is this what it means to be human?" she asked.

Kim's mother concluded by urging legal reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future. "I hope this moment serves as a catalyst for stronger legal and institutional protections so that the media fulfills its duty with responsibility."

Meanwhile, GaSeYeon had originally planned to release additional allegations about Kim Soo-hyun that same day. However, out of respect for the wishes of Kim Sae-ron's family, they announced they would delay the disclosure.

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