Seoul: The family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron has presented what they claim to be evidence supporting allegations that she was involved in a romantic relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun while she was underage. This revelation was made during a press conference held in southern Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Bu Ji-seok, a representative from the law firm Buyou and the family's legal representative, criticized Kim Soo-hyun for allegedly "lying" about the relationship. The family disclosed reconstructed KakaoTalk messages from 2016, during which time Kim Sae-ron was a minor. The messages between the two included phrases like "Miss you," "Wanna hug," and heart emojis. At the time, Kim Sae-ron was only 15 years old.
In addition to the messages, the family revealed an unsent letter written by Kim Sae-ron last year and a photograph depicting her engaging in self-harm. She expressed in the letter that she hoped Kim Soo-hyun would not avoid her, describing him as her "first and last love." The actor has been embroiled in controversy since March 10, when these allegations were first raised by a YouTube channel and Kim Sae-ron's family. The situation has since seen various claims and counterclaims from both parties.
Kim Soo-hyun, known for his role in the TV series "Queen of Tears," had initially denied dating the late actress but later admitted to a romantic relationship, which he claimed began after she reached adulthood. Earlier this week, Kim filed a lawsuit against Kim Se-ui, the operator of the YouTube channel Hoverlab, for blackmail, along with a previous legal complaint against him and Kim Sae-ron's family for sharing a compromising photo of him.
During the press conference, Bu Ji-seok also indicated intentions to take legal action against another YouTuber, Lee Jin-ho, who has been sharing videos about the actress. The lawyer stated, "YouTuber Lee Jin-ho has continued to expose Kim Sae-ron's private life. We will file a complaint against him for stalking the bereaved family later today."
Despite the legal actions, Bu stated that the family seeks to avoid further disputes over the truth following the conference. He emphasized that releasing the private messages and photos was necessary to counter claims made by Lee Jin-ho and to end what he described as a negative smear campaign against the late actress.