On March 27, 2025, iMBC reported that Kim Se-ui from the Garosero Research Institute, who represents late actress Kim Sae-ron's family, revealed more evidence against Kim Soo-hyun. Kim Se-ui stated that they have proof of the actor's alleged crimes that are comparable to the infamous Nth Room case. He clarified they would not make the details public to preserve the late actress' honor.
The statement was made during a press conference held at Space Share Gangnam Station Center in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on March 27, 2025. During the conference, Kim Se-ui addressed a widely discussed photograph of Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun. It claimed that the late actress had personally disclosed that the image was taken in 2016. However, he refrained from providing further details.
Regarding the Nth Room comparison, Garosero explained that their goal was to highlight Kim Soo-hyun's alleged misconduct, but exposing the evidence could harm the deceased's dignity. As translated by user @TheePopCore on X, the YouTuber said:
"Mentioning the Nth Room was to expose Kim Soohyun’s shameless attitude and raise awareness, showing that 'we have secured such information.' However, since we must also protect the honor of Kim Saeron and her family, we are not disclosing it.”
The Nth Room case was a major cybers*x crime scandal in South Korea. The criminals operated encrypted chatrooms on Telegram to exploit and blackmail victims. This included minors in creating explicit content.
The case was exposed in 2020 and involved thousands of paid members accessing these illegal materials. The scandal led to nationwide outrage and legal reforms to strengthen digital s*x crime laws.
For those unaware, Kim Sae-ron passed away on February 16, 2025. The Queen of Tears star's birthday also falls on the same day. Her death had been linked to Kim Soo-hyun through previous claims made by her family. They alleged that the two had been in a relationship for six years, starting in 2015 when she was 15.
In contrast, Kim Soo-hyun's representatives denied this. They claimed that they were only together from mid-2019 to late 2020 after she had reached adulthood.
All we know about the case surrounding Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun
The ongoing dispute intensified after a YouTube channel, Garosero Research Institute, released letters and photos that allegedly showed an extended relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron. This included alleged chats and pictures during his military service. The organization suggested that the evidence demonstrated inappropriate actions while she was still a minor.
In the latest update on March 27, 2025, Xports News reported that a letter allegedly written by the late actress to the actor was revealed during the press conference. The letter was reportedly never sent but detailed their alleged five to six-year relationship. Kim Sae-ron called him her "first and last love" and expressed sadness over being ignored.
As translated by an X account, @translatingsk, she wrote:
"I realized that we were together for about 5-6 years. You were my first and last love, so I hope you won’t avoid me. Seeing you completely ignoring me and refusing to even acknowledge me makes all that time feel empty and meaningless. Can’t we at least be on good terms? Nothing more, nothing less—just enough to support each other. Do you really hate me that much? Why?"
Alongside the letter, Kim Sae-ron's family reportedly shared old text messages from 2016 with affectionate exchanges between her and Kim Soo-hyun. This seemingly contradicts his earlier claims that their romance only began when she became an adult.
The attorney representing her family highlighted the messages. The messages implied a relationship beyond friendship. Additionally, the press conference addressed allegations that Kim Soo-hyun pressured Kim Sae-ron to repay a 700 million won debt and failed to support her during financial hardships.
Disturbing self-harm photos were also presented. They allegedly showed the emotional distress the actress had reportedly faced before her passing.
As the controversy grew, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confirmed an ongoing defamation investigation involving both Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron. Meanwhile, another case regarding a YouTuber's comments is being handled separately.