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Kim Sae-ron was South Korea’s darling until she wasn't anymore, thanks to her DUI scandal and her behavior thereafter. The actress made her acting debut at the young age of nine and raked in hit after hit for several years. She became a sought-after child star and featured in multiple films such as A Brand New Life and The Man from Nowhere.
The success of these films earned her the distinction of being one of the youngest actresses to ever be invited to the Cannes Film Festival. While she was just a teenager, she also landed lead roles in various other movies and K-dramas such as A Girl At My Door and Hi! School-Love On.
She was at an all-time career high, but unfortunately, the fame didn’t last her long as the actress got embroiled in a drunk driving scandal in 2022, leading to her subsequent downfall.
The rise and fall of actress Kim Sae-ron
Kim Sae-ron started getting critical acclaim in 2015. Her portrayal of a 15-year-old comfort woman in the 2015 drama Snowy Road won her the award for Best Actress in a Foreign Film at the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival.
Having completed middle school, Kim Sae-ron joined the renowned YG Entertainment to further establish her acting career in 2016, which was also the year she was cast in her first adult role in the K-drama Secret Healer. Following that, she got back-to-back offers and even starred in thriller films and dramas like The Villagers and Leverage.
Kim Sae-ron left YG Entertainment and signed with Gold Medalist in 2020. She was set to star in the SBS drama Trolley but had to opt out of it when she got embroiled in a drunk driving scandal.
On May 18, 2022, Kim Sae-ron was caught driving under influence. The actress was drunk driving in Gangnam-gu in Seoul around eight in the morning when she crashed into several structures such as transformers, guard rails, as well as trees on the street.
Her crashing into a transformer caused a heavy power outage for three hours at 57 locations, including nearby shops, and caused a devastating loss to businesses in the area. Her blood alcohol level at the time was 0.2% which, according to South Korean laws, is enough to have one’s license revoked.
This was only the beginning of the issue, as the actress later apologized on Instagram and mentioned that due to her actions she lost out on acting roles because of which she has fallen into difficult times. She uploaded pictures of her working part time at a cafe to make ends meet.
In her first court appearance on March 8, 2023, the actress apologized and said:
"This will never happen again. I’m sorry. I regret my actions and am reflecting on them. I’ve quit drinking and sold my vehicle. I’m the breadwinner for my family, but it has been difficult for me to make ends meet. Please have mercy."
The court showed her leniency and her self-reflection helped her case, which resulted in her only having to pay a 20 million won fine. The actress also uploaded pictures of herself on Instagram, showing her working at Mega Coffee to make ends meet.
However, the cafe she was revealed to be part-timing for, soon disclosed that the actress never worked in any of their chains.
Dispatch also revealed multiple pictures of Kim Sae-ron playing poker at the club, reporting that she did not have any financial troubles.
The actress then released another statement saying:
"It was true that I drove under the influence, and I was wrong for that, so I have nothing to say. I will make sure nothing like this happens again in the future. I never claimed I was struggling financially. It is true that I’m currently working part-time and that the penalty fee cost a lot."
The ambiguity in her statements as well as her actions following her scandal have caused her reputation to nose-dive. The actress has fallen out of favor with K-netizens who currently do not wish to see her on-screen anymore. Coming back from such a huge scandal and winning the public’s favor again will prove to be no less than a Herculean task for her.
