Kim Soo-hyun faces backlash for justifying dating late Kim Sae-ron based on the old Korean age system

On April 2, 2025, JD Times reporter Chae Seok-won spoke with Kim Soo-hyun’s legal representatives, LKB & Partners. The party tried to debunk the allegations made against the actor about dating the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.

LKB & Partners stated that the Queen of Tears actor dated Kim Sae-ron from 2019 to 2020 when she was legally an adult. It is crucial to note that the actress was born in 2000 and in 2019, her age was 19. As per Korean law, the legal age for an individual to be considered an adult is 21.

Netizens noticed the discrepancies and criticised the actor for using the Korean age system to alter the truth. As per the Korean age system, the country adds two years to the original age. For instance, Kim Sae-ron was 19 in 2019, according to the international age standard, but based on the Korean age method, she was 21.

Additionally, LKB & Partners also acknowledged a video from 2018 of Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress from the latter's house. The actress was seen cooking Dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken). Calculating the time as she was born on July 31, 2000, the Bloodhounds actress was 17 in that video.

However, Kim Soo-hyun's attorney argued that on the date June 20, 2018, Kim Sae-ron was 19 years old. The video was from June 2018, and officially, the late actress was still a minor. This further invited the ire of the public as the lawyers tried to argue based on the Korean age system.

Significantly, in 2018, 2019, and 2020, Kim Sae-ron was still underage as per the international age system. She turned 21 on July 31, 2021.

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Kim Soo-hyun refutes allegations in tearful press conference

During a press conference held on March 31, 2025, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun publicly addressed and refuted allegations concerning his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

The 37-year-old actor, known for Queen of Tears and My Love from the Star, became visibly emotional as he denied claims that he had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was underage. KoreaDeok reported that during the press conference on March 31, the 37-year-old actor claimed to be scared of being "bullied" by the late actress's family. He said:

"I'm scared of how the bereaved family will blackmail and bully me to admit the false claim after the press conference. I have people whom I need to take responsibility for. Human Kim Soo-hyun and Star Kim Soo-hyun's life and more. My people are suffering."

The controversy emerged following reports suggesting that the Queen of Tears actor had been romantically involved with Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. These allegations intensified after Kim Sae-ron's tragic death on February 16, 2025, which was ruled a s*icide.

The claims were further fueled by a YouTube exposé that presented purported evidence of their relationship during her teenage years. The political investigative YouTube media channel, Garosero, released footage, videos, and pictures accusing the actor of dating Kim Sae-ron since 2015.

These claims were confirmed by Kim Sae-ron's aunt and parents. The aunt also alleged that the Queen of Tears actor wanted to marry Kim Sae-ron once she became an adult. She claimed that the entire family was against Kim Sae-ron dating Kim Soo-hyun.

During the press conference, the Queen of Tears actor firmly denied the allegations, stating unequivocally that his relationship with Kim Sae-ron did not occur during her minority.

He admitted to dating her approximately four to five years prior to 2024 but emphasized that it was only after she had reached the age of majority. He asserted that he only dated the late actress from mid-2019 to late 2020 when she was an adult.

Notably, Kim Sae-ron was 19 in 2019 and not a legal adult of the age of 21. This further intensified the backlash against the Queen of Tears actor.

As proof of his claims, Kim Soo-hyun included evidence disproving the authenticity of the accusations. Some of the messages from 2016 and 2018, referred to as evidence of a relationship with a minor, were fabricated in his opinion.

A forensic investigation determined that 92% of the text messages in question were not sent by him. The actor also sued Kim Sae-ron's family, her aunt, and Garosero YouTube channel for a total of 12 billion won (about 8.15 million).

They have also filed police reports against the individuals for defamation and breach of the Personal Information Protection Act.

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Meanwhile, due to the ongoing controversy, Kim Soo-hyun lost several brand deals. PRADA, CUCKOO, Jo Malone London, and Dinto all prematurely terminated their contracts with him. Eider, Homeplus, and Esteé Lauder maintained their distance from him and removed all his ads from their social media platforms and websites.

Moreover, Disney was heading for the release of the Korean drama, Knock Off, starring Kim Soo-hyun and Jo Bo-ah in late 2025. Due to the scandal, the drama's production was halted, and the project was reportedly shelved.