'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMF/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAArtgW/wD/xAAhEAACAQIGAwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwEEEQAFBhIiMRNBU//aAAgBAQABPwCdV0J0aHMonOTqhpCHkPmowC24fl30GF02VEsZdTWbMc9qhmL+7TOP/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAgEBPwB//8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgADEf/aAAgBAwEBPwBVnJ//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On March 19, 2025, Newsen reported that Kim Soo-hyun and representatives of the Gold Medalist met with the late Kim Sae-ron's former aides, including her previous agency, YG Entertainment, and her managers. The purpose of this meeting was reportedly to persuade them to support Kim Soo-hyun during their press conference.
The publication stated that an anonymous source in the entertainment industry confirmed that the actor's agency representatives have been "persuading" the late actress's former acquaintances.
"I understand that Gold Medalist confirmed the schedule of the late Kim Sae-ron in the months before her death, and collected data to infer her feelings. I know they have met several officials who supported this, and they are persuading one or two of them to participate in interviews or press conferences," the anonymous source told Newsen.
Trending
The source further alleged that Gold Medalist intends to present verified facts during the upcoming press conference to refute all allegations against Kim Soo-hyun made by the Garosero YouTube channel and Kim Sae-ron's family.
For those unfamiliar, Kim Sae-ron died on February 16, 2025, after she committed s*icide. Following this tragedy, on March 10, Garosero and Kim Sae-ron's aunt claimed that the Queen of Tears actor dated her when she was 15 and the actor was 27, creating a 12-year age gap.
Meanwhile, according to Newsen, the Queen of Tears actor has lost over 10 brand deals and been removed from several projects amid the controversy.
Background of the controversy and allegations against Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist
Kim Sae-ron, known for her roles in Bloodhounds and The Man From Nowhere, was found dead in her home on February 16, 2025. Her untimely death is linked to a series of distressing events, including a drunk driving incident in 2022 that led to significant financial burdens and strained relationships within the entertainment industry.
Reuters reported that, following the incident, Kim Sae-ron faced financial difficulties after paying 20 million won in fines and 700 million won in damages to 57 businesses. This situation reportedly forced her to take on part-time jobs in cafés to manage her debts.
Further complicating matters, Xports News reported that Kim Sae-ron's family accused Kim Soo-hyun and Gold Medalist of isolating the actress and threatening her before her death. According to the family's legal representative, Kim Sae-ron posted a photo with the Queen of Tears actor in March 2024.
Kim Sae-ron reportedly received legal notices from Gold Medalist warning her against contacting Kim Soo-hyun or other actors from the agency. Another notice demanded that she repay 700 million won (approximately $479,667).
The Bloodhounds actress' family claimed that these actions ostracized her within the industry and contributed to her emotional distress. They also released a screenshot of an alleged KakaoTalk message in which Kim Sae-ron begged the actor to help her with Gold Medalist's lawsuits, but the actor did not respond.
On March 15, Indian Express reported that Gold Medalist disputed the allegations, asserting that they are unfounded and that they played no part in Kim Sae-ron's financial problems beyond a professional capacity. The agency indicated that the financial matter was solely between Gold Medalist and Kim Sae-ron, denying that Kim Soo-hyun was personally involved with her finances.
Gold Medalist also addressed reports regarding an alleged text message sent by Kim Sae-ron to the actor, asking him to save her from legal issues. The agency claimed that the media misrepresented the message, stating that they instructed Kim Soo-hyun not to reply to it.
Furthermore, the bereaved family held a public press conference on March 17, 2025. Kim Sae-ron's family expressed their desire to restore their late daughter's dignity and reputation, demanding only a public apology from Kim Soo-hyun.
That same day, Chosun Ilbo reported that Kim Sae-ron's father revealed additional details during the press conference. He addressed Gold Medalist's previous statement, clarifying that they never intended to collect 700 million won from Kim Sae-ron, asserting that sending the notice was merely a formality.
Late Kim Sae-ron's father stated that Gold Medalist did not inform the actress that the legal notice was just a formality. He said,
"No one at Gold Medalist ever told Saeron not to be surprised, as they were sending a certified letter as a company procedure due to a breach of trust issue. After receiving the certified mail, Saeron called each and every person in the company, but no one answered the phone and no one responded."
Kim Sae-ron's father continued that his daughter tried to contact the agency to verify if the decision was the actor's or his company's.
"Saeron kept in touch to confirm whether it was Kim Soo-hyun's will or the company's will."
On March 18, Kbizoom reported that Gold Medalist issued a 12-page statement refuting all allegations made by Kim Sae-ron's family and the Garosero YouTube channel. They denied sending any warning notice to Kim Sae-ron regarding her contact with Kim Soo-hyun.
Gold Medalist also denied suing Kim Sae-ron for 700 million won and claimed that they wrote off the amount as "bad debt" in their audit. The agency additionally shared a screenshot of its audit document from April 1, 2024.
