Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has vehemently denied allegations that he groomed and dated the late Netflix star Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. During a surprise press conference in Seoul, South Korea, the 37-year-old Soo-hyun addressed accusations that he dated Sae-ron — who died by suicide at age 24 on Soo-hyun’s birthday in February — when she was 15.
Soo-hyun admitted that the pair had dated for a year when Sae-ron was an adult, but denied ever having dated her when she was underage. “I never dated her when she was a minor,” he said. “Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like that of any other ordinary couple.”
The allegations first surfaced on YouTube, where videos and photos of the two actors were shared, claiming they had been in a six-year relationship that allegedly began when Sae-ron was 15. Soo-hyun’s agency initially denied the claims before later clarifying that the two had dated from 2019 to 2020 when Sae-ron was an adult.
Soo-hyun defended his previous denial of their relationship, citing concerns about protecting his career as a lead actor. He also denied accusations that his agency pressured Sae-ron to repay a debt she owed before her death.
The controversy has rocked the South Korean entertainment industry, with several brands ending their partnerships with Soo-hyun and Disney+ pausing a show starring him due to the scandal. Soo-hyun’s legal team has filed criminal complaints against Kim Sae-ron’s family and the YouTube channel involved in sharing the allegations, seeking damages of KRW12 billion.
The incident highlights the intense scrutiny that celebrities’ personal lives are subject to in South Korea’s entertainment industry, where admissions of romantic relationships can be seen as scandalous.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/kim-soo-hyun-press-conference-kim-sae-ron-age-controversy-b2724978.html