SEOUL– A young star’s self-destruction in South Korea. Accusations of a minor connection. They become part of an expanding drama in the Oriental enjoyment globe that questions concerning culture’s therapy of celebs in situation, with severe media and on-line discourse magnifying their least expensive minutes.
Today, South Oriental star Kim Soo-hyun publicly denied allegations that he dated the late star Kim Sae-ron when she was under the age of sex-related permission. His psychological interview adhered to Kim Sae-ron’s suicide in February, which reignited claims that they were passionately included.
Below’s what we understand concerning the situation.
Kim Sae-ron was when among South Korea’s most encouraging movie celebrities. She started acting at age 9 in the 2009 movie “An All new Life,” which premiered at the Cannes Movie Event. She got better acknowledgment with “The Guy from No Place” (2010) and “A Woman at My Door” (2014 ), likewise welcomed to Cannes.
Her profession stopped in Might 2022 after she collapsed her automobile in Seoul while driving intoxicated. Regardless of using a public apology and supposedly paying payment to stores that shed power due to the collision, she encountered ruthless adverse interest.
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EDITOR’S KEEP IN MIND: In South Korea, customers can get 24-hour therapy via the self-destruction avoidance hotline 1577-0199, the “Life Line” solution at 1588-9191, the “Hope Phone” at 129 and the “Young people Phone” at 1388.
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Media and on-line analysts inspected her individual life. YouTube chatter networks implicated her of overemphasizing economic problems and doubted her genuineness. Movie critics, and her family members, state it added to her decreasing psychological health and wellness.
She eliminated herself on Feb. 16, Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday celebration.
Kim Soo-hyun, 37, likewise has actually been among South Korea’s the majority of acknowledged stars, understood for dramatization such as “My Love from the Celebrity” (2013) and “Queen of Tears” (2024) along with movies like “The Burglars” (2012) and “Covertly, Significantly” (2013 ).
Conjecture concerning a connection with Kim Sae-ron started in 2015 when she published a picture of them with each other, promptly removed. Gold Champion, the company co-founded by Kim Soo-hyun, rejected the connection, according to South Oriental media.
Days after Kim Sae-ron’s fatality, a YouTube network understood for its politically billed web content, HoverLab, declared that she and Kim Soo-hyun had actually remained in a six-year charming connection start in 2015, when she was 15 and he remained in his late 20s. The network launched what it called proof consisting of pictures, video clips and letters. Kim Soo-hyun has actually called them made.
Kim Sae-ron’s family members had actually come close to HoverLab to launch the products, calling it an effort to bring back Kim Sae-ron’s photo.
On March 27, an attorney standing for Kim Sae-ron’s family members offered to reporters what the family members declared was a picture of an undelivered letter composed in 2024 in which Kim Sae-ron explained Kim Soo-hyun as her “very first and last love” and referenced a five-to-six-year connection.
The letter was composed after she stopped working to get to Kim Soo-hyun to review a financial obligation she owed his company, according to the attorney. After Kim Sae-ron’s agreement finished and had not been restored, the company asked her to repay 700 million won (concerning $520,000) in problems connected to her drunk-driving situation. Her family members states the need positioned extreme stress on her.
Kim Soo-hyun has actually recognized that he dated Kim Sae-ron however urged their connection started after she came to be a grown-up. He called insurance claims of a minor connection incorrect and destructive.
” It is likewise not real that the deceased made a heartbreaking option due to my evasion (of her), or since my company pressed her concerning financial obligation,” a psychological Kim informed Monday’s interview.
He declined to address an inquiry from the AP concerning when he initially fulfilled Kim Sae-ron.
Whether any type of regulations were damaged depends mainly on timing. South Korea elevated its age of sex-related permission from 13 to 16 in 2020. Kim Sae-ron was birthed in 2000, and the family members declares the connection started in 2015, when she was 15 and Kim Soo-hyun was 27.
Kim Soo-hyun preserves that their connection lasted from summer season 2019 to drop 2020, when Kim Sae-ron was a lawful grownup.
Kim Soo-hyun’s company has actually taken lawsuit versus the family members of Kim Sae-ron and HoverLab, which initially broadcast the minor connection insurance claims, for dispersing exclusive pictures and video clips of the star, consisting of photos of Kim Soo-hyun kissing the late star. Kim’s company claimed Kim Sae-ron had actually seen his apartment or condo and his family members existed. The company claimed they were not dating at the time.
On Monday, Kim Soo-hyun’s attorney introduced a civil legal action looking for 12 billion won (roughly $8.15 million) in problems versus the YouTube network and Kim Sae-ron’s family members, together with criminal issues declaring character assassination and offense of personal privacy regulations. Kim Soo-hyun and his company likewise filed a claim against the YouTube network driver for tracking.
The family members’s lawful rep and HoverLab both informed the AP on Wednesday that they prepare to file a claim against Kim Soo-hyun and his company for making incorrect insurance claims concerning his connection with the late star.
Kim’s fatality reignited objection of South Korea’s ruthless paper and electronic media society. Her family members has actually distinguished video clips with speculative, unproven web content depicting her as mentally unsteady and ethically suspicious.
Demanding character assassination is commonly a prolonged, pricey fight for South Oriental celebs, as several systems, like YouTube, are based overseas. Penalties are commonly light, with penalties or put on hold sentences.
Various other prominent instances adhering to adverse on-line interest have actually consisted of the fatalities of K-pop vocalists Sulli and Goo Hara in 2019 and “Bloodsucker” star Lee Sun-kyun in 2023.
Style brand name Prada has actually finished its partnership with Kim Soo-hyun. South Oriental cosmetics firm Dinto ended its 1 year agreement with him, mentioning the severity of the conflict. 7-Eleven Taiwan terminated a Kim Soo-hyun follower occasion last month, mentioning timetable modifications.
An online petition today requiring the age of permission to be elevated from 16 to 19 has actually collected virtually 40,000 trademarks on the National Setting up’s internet site.
Recommended reforms in South Korea implied to dissuade severe on-line remarks have actually not been passed.
