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On March 13, 2025, shortly after midnight, Seo Yea-ji broke her silence and denied any connection to Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin Lee Sa-rang, who are involved in a controversy surrounding their agency, Gold Medalist.
The South Korean actress posted a message on her fan café, expressing frustration over being linked to the issue. She said she felt the need to respond, but later deleted her message after a comment appeared on her social media.
"Unnie, please don’t let us down again. I just read about it on TikTok," an user wrote (via screenshot obtained by Koreaboo).
Addressing the remark, Seo Yea-ji explained that she initially replied to the message but deleted it soon after. She said she realized the response could lead to more misunderstanding. In her message to fans, whom she fondly calls “Yeyes,” Seo poured out her emotions, writing (via Koreaboo),
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“My dearest Yeyes, I’m only human… So this has been overwhelming, stressful… and I’m so sick and tired of it all. It saddens me and suffocates me… I’ve been holding back and back… but I ended up responding to this comment. I deleted it, though.”
She went on to say,
“I wish people would… please… stop. I am in no way affiliated with him and his cousin. I don’t even know why I have to explain myself… but I’m just extra frustrated tonight… Good night, Yeyes.”
This is not the first time Seo's name has surfaced in connection to controversies involving Gold Medalist. She was previously accused of being "rude" to staff members.
Seo Yea-ji was previously entangled in the Gold Medalist dating controversy
Past dating rumors involving Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, and director Lee Robe are back in focus. Reported by Chosun Biz, Lee Robe, known to be Kim Soo-hyun’s cousin and a director, was earlier linked to Seo in a complicated web of relationships.
In June 2020, late entertainment journalist Kim Yong-ho claimed that Seo Yea-ji was romantically involved with both Kim Soo-hyun and director Lee Robe, stating she dated Lee Robe after breaking up with Kim Soo-hyun. Neither the actors nor their agency, Gold Medalist, responded to these claims, leaving the rumors unverified.
The speculation gained more traction as Seo Yea-ji and Kim Soo-hyun were co-starring in the hit drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Despite the timing, both stars kept silent. Their agency, too, refrained from making any official statements.
Seo Yea-ji, Kim Soo-hyun, and Kim Sae-ron were all under the same agency, Gold Medalist. Seo later quit the agency after her 2021 gaslighting controversy with actor Kim Jung-hyun. She was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend during his 2018 drama Time.
Reports claimed she told him to avoid physical contact with female co-stars. However, she later apologized in 2022, calling her conduct “immature." Meanwhile, Kim Sae-ron was with Gold Medalist from 2020 to 2022. She passed away on February 16, 2025. Seo Yea-ji also attended her funeral.
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, has disavowed rumors of him dating the late Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. The claims came from a live broadcast on the YouTube channel ‘Garo Sero Research Institute.’ Gold Medalist called the allegations “baseless," saying they would take “legal action” against them.
