"K-drama men dont exist" — Kim Soo-hyun's controversy spurs a new perspective on 'romanticising' Korean drama male leads online

As of March 16, 2025, more pictures of Kim Soo-hyun allegedly cooking in late Kim Sae-ron's apartment were released by the YouTube channel Garosero (Hoverlab). Rumors started that the two were dating when Kim Sae-ron was a minor, which led to a complicated dispute between the late actress' family and Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist.

On March 10, 2025, Garosero alleged that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had a romantic relationship for six years (2015 to 2022), starting when she was just 15 years old and he was 27. These claims have sparked public debate and concern.

Furthermore, these allegations arrived after a month of Kim Sae-ron's untimely death. The Bloodhounds actress was found dead in her home on February 16, 2025. Police declared the death as s*icide. No farewell note was found.

This led to a re-examination of how male protagonists in K-dramas are portrayed and how such portrayals might be perceived by audiences. Fans discussed that traditionally, these dramas showcased powerful male characters, far into wealth and confidence, set with highly romanticized ideals.

For example, Queen of Tears and It's Okay To Not Be Okay portrayed Kim Soo-hyun's characters as caring, protective, and overly affectionate towards the female leads. Amidst the recent scandal of the actor allegedly dating a 15-year-old minor when he was 27 forced fans to reflect on the reality.

A fan mentioned that Kim Soo-hyun proved that "kdrama men don't exist" in real life.

"Not kim soohyun proving that kdrama men dont exist in real life lmao."

Several netizens stated that they would never be able to look at K-dramas and their male leads the same way as before. A few fans even claimed that Korean actors "hide behind their good characters in dramas."

"Now I realize that none of the male Korean actors are good. They all hide behind their good characters in dramas. They are green flag in drama but red flag in real life. What is this nonsense....lol," a fan wrote.

"Me watching the current kdrama I am on with so much disdain. Like it is only a fuul that will not admit that Sk men are terrible human beings," another fan said.

"Don’t even think I can consume kdrama content for now. I just keep seeing all the men as creeps," another fan added.

Netizens expressed their disappointment regarding the ongoing scandal. They highlighted that "Korean men are very problematic," as they have often seen TikTok and YouTube videos where influencers reportedly warn viewers about the reality of South Korean men in general.

"Kdrama gives you what you'd like to have in real life but never will, the majority of Korean men are very problematic," a fan remarked.

"And lots of korean girlies on tiktok warning everyone about korean men + just the general news you see abt korean men. The flags are out there," another fan reacted.

"I cant view male characters in kdrama the same way— their heroic and romantic behavior makes me cringe now. So I decided to go through my list of investigation/crime dramas to watch and it's so addictive, those crimes showcased were more realistic as korean men's behavior," another fan added.

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Late Kim Sae-ron's mother demands public apology from Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist

The scandal started on March 10, 2025, when the news broke about Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron's alleged relationship. According to the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, Kim Sae-ron's association with Kim Soo-hyun caused her to join Gold Medalist, the actor's agency, where she played an important role in its establishment.

The family claimed that Kim Sae-ron joined the agency in 2019 when Kim Soo-hyun founded it with his cousin. They claimed that Kim Sae-ron worked for free and mentored new recruits due to her relationship with and love for Kim Soo-hyun.

On March 15, 2025, The Telegraph India reported that Kim Sae-ron's mother demanded the Queen of Tears actor officially apologize to them and acknowledge that he dated the actress. In another YouTube livestream of Garosero, the mother said:

“We want Kim Soo Hyun to acknowledge that he was dating Kim Sae Ron from the time she was a minor, as well as a public apology from him. Second, from the agency Gold Medalist, we request an official apology for media manipulation over the past three years where they claimed that the two have never dated, and again when they stated three days ago that they have never dated too.”

Koimoi reported the full list of demands that the late actress's mother had listed on Garosero's live streams. Kim Sae-ron's mother asked Gold Medalist to acknowledge that the Bloodhounds actress contributed to the company as one of its founding members.

"Third, please acknowledge Kim Sae Ron’s contributions as a founding member of the company and apologize for that. Fourth, acknowledge and publicly apologize for sending a legal notice demanding repayment of 700 million KRW (about $482,000) from Kim Sae Ron."

Since March 10, 2025, Gold Medalist has denied the dating allegations of the Queen of Tears actor. However, recently, the agency's stance has changed.

On March 14, the management issued a statement responding to these allegations, confirming that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron may have been dating. But they also emphasized that the romance started after she had reached the legal age.

The Korea Times reported that Gold Medalist asked the mother of the late actress to contact them rather than going on public forums and discussing the issue.

"We also believe there may be aspects that she is not yet aware of. Engaging in a public debate over these matters is not appropriate for the mother or the late Kim Sae-ron, who sought to restore her reputation by any means possible. We would appreciate it if you could contact our office at any time."

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Brands like PRADA and Dinto have reportedly terminated their endorsement contracts with Kim Soo-hyun due to the ongoing controversy.