SENSITIVE CONTENT [3/14] The Kim Soohyun and Kim Saeron situation updates

[RussianRoulette]

Hello Hello

Here's a quick update on what has happened today.

Originally Gold Medalist was going to wait till next week to release a statement but they released one this morning instead. I'll cover that and some other quick updates.

Once again Kim Soohyun will be abbreviated to KSH.
​

---

Gold Medalist Statement

I am taking this translation from Koreaboo just to make my life easier:
​

Hello, this is Gold Medalist.

We are sharing Kim Soo Hyun’s position on the recent reports from Garo Sero Institute.

We have previously shared that a statement will be shared next week with concrete evidence to refute the claims made in their reports.

However, Kim Soo Hyun showed sudden instability in his psychological health early this morning, so we are taking measures to make sure he is in complete stability. He has been suffering through extreme confusion and chaos due to Garo Sero Institute’s claims he was responsible for Kim Sae Ron’s sudden death. In addition, after their live broadcast ended on March 12, people in cars with cameras were waiting in the company’s parking lot and across the building’s main entrance. Also, around lunchtime on March 13, people holding cameras were loitering around the building, adding to the psychological pressure placed on Kim Soo Hyun.

Please understand that we have released this urgent statement to reveal the truth on major issues. Even though this is different from our original plan, nothing else has priority over this, so we are sharing this statement even though there may still be some loose ends.

Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were dating between the summer of 2019 and fall of 2020, after she became an adult. It is not true that Kim Soo Hyun dated her when she was a minor. Kim Sae Ron’s photo that she uploaded on March 24, 2024 on her Instagram story and the photo that Garo Sero Institute shared on March 11, 2025 were private images taken by the two in the winter of 2020 when they were dating [T/N: Gold Medalist has since clarified that when they said Winter 2020, they meant between January and March 2020]. The clothes Kim Sae Ron was wearing at the time were released in June 2019 by the brand, so Garo Sero Institute’s claim that the photo was taken in 2016 when Kim Sae Ron was a minor is impossible.

In addition, another photo shared by Garo Sero Institute on March 12, 2025, was a photo taken by the two on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2019. This can be confirmed through the picture’s metadata. The photo released on March 13, 2025, was taken on the same day, as seen from the fact that they are wearing the same clothes. All of the photos being shared by Garo Sero Institute with the claim that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor were taken after she became an adult. Their claim that these photos were taken in 2016 have no grounds. This is because the two were not dating at that time.

Kim Soo Hyun’s letter to Kim Sae Ron while he was in the military was just one of the letters he sent to his close friends. As you could see from the contents of the letter, Kim Soo Hyun was adjusting to the military lifestyle and used the letter to let his close friends know about his daily life in the military. The expression “I miss you” is a light-hearted expression used by soldiers to their close friends. However, Garo Sero Institute is claiming that the two had been dating since 2015, using photos that were taken after Kim Sae Ron was an adult and claiming they were from when she was a minor. They used the postcard sent to Kim Sae Ron after the two were dating to strengthen their claim that the military letter was also a love letter. Kim Sae Ron’s nickname (Saero Nero, 새로네로) that she used publicly since 2016 was made to seem like it was a nickname that only the two used between each other.

There is a lot of criticism being directed towards Kim Soo Hyun regarding their relationship. Even if a relationship between two adults is a private matter, it is natural to expect Kim Soo Hyun’s life, as a person who is loved by many, will be within the public sphere. If there is criticism to be had, then he should accept it seriously and it should sting even more. However, due to Garo Sero Institute’s report, a plethora of false claims and misinformation is spreading as if they are true. The informant who appeared on their broadcast and made numerous false claims stated they were part of Kim Sae Ron’s family. But according to one media outlet, she is actually just an acquaintance of Kim Sae Ron’s mother, [not her aunt]. They are distorting reality and creating rumors based on a few photos and information from an informant whose identity cannot even be confirmed.

The fact that the extremely personal private lives of two people are being forcibly revealed by others, and the fact that both Kim Soo Hyun and the deceased [Kim Sae Ron] are having their private lives discussed alongside numerous rumors and speculative reports, is extremely painful for Kim Soo Hyun and those around both him and Kim Sae Ron. After the private lives of the two were revealed by Garo Sero Institute, we believe that the varied public opinions on his choices are unavoidable. But the past when two consenting adults dated and broke up are being distorted by others and countless lies are still being spread. It is incredibly painful for one person to endure all of this due to their private life. Also, digging into the private life of the deceased is an act of defaming their honor.​

Source 1 and Source 2

Everyone's Response

People were already predicting him to claim that they only dated as adults, so no one is believing his story and calling BS.

Multiple sources have already debunked their claims that the pictures were not taken before 2019 as well. I wasn't going to link all the evidence here (it's on twitter for anyone interested), but I know one fansite even came forward calling bs because something he was wearing in one of the photos of him with Saeron was gifted to him in 2015 or 2016.

People are also attacking KSH for saying Saeron's aunt is not actually her aunt because they are not blood related.

Garseo

Garoseo has released more pictures and they have claimed they have around 180 pictures/videos of KSH and Saeron.

They have implied they have more inappropriate/explicit pictures of the two of them as well and they threatened to release a photo of KSH shirtless in Saeron's kitchen (with Saeron in a kitchen?) if KSH does not confess.
The family has desperately asked Garoseo to please not release inappropriate/explicit pictures of their daughter.

Netizens don't seem to want these pictures released on her behalf either, and are questioning if this could count as revenge porn since Garoseo is now threatening KSH with inappropriate pictures of him.

Garoseo has said they would like to release all the pictures but will not do it without the family's permission.

Other Updates

- Prada has officially dropped KSH as a brand ambassador. This is actually being met with backlash towards Prada though due to the fact that they hesitated to drop him, and due to the fact that they dropped Irene very quickly and without a second thought when she had a scandal but when KSH had a scandal they had to "thoroughly think about it".

- Gold Medalist has been pushing how all of this is affecting KSH's psychological state and he is mentally unstable right now.
- no netizens anywhere are sorry for him though.

This next part is kind of sensitive so i'll put it in spoilers:
​

- Saeron's family is actually worried for KSH a bit though, but to my understanding all of Gold Medalists statements pushing how mentally unwell KSH is right now is sort of affecting them. They are worried if they give Garoseo permission to release more photos KSH might do something, like "something drastic" if you get what I mean.

(So pretty much Gold Medalist is threatening the family a bit that if they keep on releasing photos then the family would be responsible for KSH's actions to my understanding? This is kind of low from them...)
​

- It was also rumored that KSH has fled the country.

- It was also confirmed that KSH's Disney series has concluded filming (two seasons to be exact) so there is no possibility of editing him out or re-filming the kdrama without him. The only option they have right now is to consider not releasing the show.

- People are also starting to debate whether members of the Good Day show that KSH is on should be facing backlash due to association or not. I'm not sure about the other cast members, but I know GDragon, who is the host of the show, is facing significant heat right now and him unliking that instagram post yesterday has really sat wrong with KNetz and international kpop fans.
- (I heard rumors that Gdragon might be making a legal statement? But I kinda doubt this TBH. It's probably best for him to keep his mouth shut right now unless he's speaking out against KSH.)​

 

[sooat]

if any artist decides to do an statement now they better be ready to be attacked as well, people are so mad that they won't forgive anyone

 

[RussianRoulette]

if any artist decides to do an statement now they better be ready to be attacked as well, people are so mad that they won't forgive anyone

Seriously, I hope the rumor of him making a statement is fake.

 

[sooat]

Seriously, I hope the rumor of him making a statement is fake.

he better stay quiet
and ksh actor friends too

 

[BianTwo]

So online, on SNS, everyone is mad

It doesn't look good for him

Unlike those who openly supported the president impeachment, this time everyone rather stay quiet because people are so mad, at least online, no good outcome is possible