Kim Sae-ron's family denies hospital debt claims, sues YouTuber for defamation amid dating controversy with Kim Soo-hyun

The family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron has refuted claims that she struggled to cover her hospital expenses and relied on acquaintances for financial support. On March 25, Kwon Young-chan, head of the Korea Celebrities Suicide Prevention Association, addressed the issue in an interview with South Korean media outlet Newsis.

He firmly denied the allegations circulating online. Kwon clarified that the late actress’s family took care of most of her medical bills during her treatment.

“We directly contacted Kim Sae-ron's mother and other bereaved family members. Kim Sae-ron never asked anyone to pay for her hospital bills, and her family mostly paid for them" he explained.

Newsis reported that he further stated:

"Kim Sae-ron received hospital treatment 20 times while she was alive. Her parents paid for 18 of those hospital bills. The CEO of Kim Sae-ron's agency paid for the remaining 2. This is because Kim Sae-ron felt sorry for her mother and was afraid of causing worry to her family, so she did not tell them about the hospital bills."

Kwon added that the actress did not inform her family about the agency’s help due to guilt and concern. He also dismissed YouTuber Lee Jin-ho’s claims that a personal acquaintance had covered the hospital bills.

“Mr. Lee Jin-ho said that his friend, the director, paid for everything, but that's a lie. The CEO of the agency paid for everything.” Kwon stated.

Kwon further clarified the cost of medical treatments related to self-harm, as per Newsis. He explained that while some procedures are covered by insurance, they do not cover everything:

"Usually, the surgery costs 200,000 to 400,000 won. It varies depending on the condition, but a micro-suturing surgery at a plastic surgery clinic costs 1 to 2 million won. I directly contacted four hospitals in Gangnam, Seoul. They said that at most, the cost will not exceed 2 million won. I also contacted the hospitals in question to confirm.”

According to Newsis, this statement was made in response to earlier claims by YouTuber Lee Jin-ho, who alleged that the actress had accumulated significant hospital debt due to repeated self-harm attempts.

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YouTuber faces defamation lawsuit over claims about Kim Sae-ron

As per a report by Newsis, in a video released on March 24, Lee Jin-ho—former entertainment reporter and now a YouTuber—alleged that Kim Sae-ron faced significant financial struggles. According to him, these struggles stemmed from her repeated suicide attempts, with each hospital visit costing around 5 million KRW (approx. 3,400 USD).

Lee claimed that her agency covered these medical expenses as loans after Kim reportedly told an acquaintance that her injuries - torn ligaments and tendons- required surgery not covered by insurance. He also shared an alleged recording of Kim Sae-ron, discussing her condition and the cost of treatment.

Newsis further reported that, in response to these allegations, the bereaved family filed a defamation lawsuit against Lee on March 17. Their legal representative, Attorney Bu Ji-seok of Buyu Law Firm, held a press conference, accusing Lee of spreading false information that worsened Kim Sae-ron’s mental health while she was alive.

Attorney Bu argued that Lee’s repeated videos painted the actress in a negative light, ultimately driving her into extreme psychological distress, as per the outlet. The family further accused Lee of manipulating the narrative around the late actress’s rumored relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun, asserting that his content misrepresented the late actress.

Notably, as per Newsis, Lee made all his videos private shortly after Kim Sae-ron’s death, which the family claims constitutes destruction of evidence. They urged authorities to conduct a search and seizure.

Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her Seoul residence on February 16. She was 25. Amid the controversy that followed her demise, her family also raised accusations about her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun.

Appearing in a YouTube broadcast of the channel Garo Sero Research Institute, on March 10, 2025, the late actress’s family claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had been romantically involved from 2015 to 2021. They alleged she was a 15-year-old minor when the relationship started, while he was 27 years old.

Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, which is also co-owned by the actor, denied the claims, labeling them as groundless and threatening legal action. In response, the bereaved family released private messages, letters, and multiple photos and videos of the duo, claiming them as proof of their relationship.

Days later, the agency partially acknowledged the relationship but dismissed the underage dating allegations. They stated the two dated between the summer of 2019 and the fall of 2020, claiming Kim Sae-ron to be legally an adult throughout the relationship.

The dispute escalated further when the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute aired an alleged private photo of Kim Soo-hyun at the actress’s home. The photo showed him partially undressed while washing dishes.

This prompted Kim Soo-hyun’s legal team, LKB & Partners, to file a criminal complaint against both Ga Se-yeon’s operator and Kim Sae-ron’s family. They pressed charges for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of S*xual Crimes.

The agency argued that the photo, showing parts of Kim Soo-hyun’s body in a private setting, was shared without his consent and intended to cause s*xual humiliation. In a statement on March 24, LKB & Partners criticized Garo Sero Research Institute for reposting the explicit photo even after the lawsuit was filed.

They called it a blatant disregard for the law and a serious criminal offense, as reported by Newsis. The agency vowed to pursue the matter aggressively to protect Kim Soo-hyun’s rights.

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However, despite the lawsuit, Ga Se-yeon continued broadcasting additional claims.