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On March 11, 2025, Pannatic reported that the late actress Kim Sae-ron's aunt made serious allegations against actor Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist. According to her, the agency initially demanded over 20 billion KRW (approximately $13.7 million) in penalty fees after Kim Sae-ron's 2022 DUI (Driving Under the Influence) incident.
It is to be noted that Sae-ron was under the same label as Soo-hyun at that time.
The claim suggests that after Kim Sae-ron crashed into an electricity transformer, multiple businesses suffered financial losses due to power outages. Instead of allowing her family to investigate and determine the actual compensation required, the agency allegedly insisted on paying the amount themselves to settle the matter quickly.
The aunt reportedly stated that Kim Sae-ron's parents initially trusted the agency, believing it had a plan and would support her through the crisis. Notably, Kim Soo-hyun signed with Gold Medalist in 2020 and is currently under the same agency.
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However, rather than providing help, the agency reportedly transferred the financial responsibility entirely to Kim Sae-ron. Later, they issued a legal notice demanding 700 million KRW (approximately $480,000) from her, significantly lower than the initial amount but still a heavy burden. The company allegedly hired three lawyers to enforce this demand. Kim Sae-ron's aunt stated:
"As you said, when an artist goes through something like this, the agency should work together to resolve the issue, shouldn't they? When she crashed into the electricity transformer and businesses reported severe damages, the penalties skyrocketed to an unreasonable amount... At first, they were talking about over 20 Billion KRW for penalty fees."
According to the aunt, upon receiving the legal notice, Sae-ron was allegedly devastated and attempted to contact Kim Soo-hyun directly, but he was unreachable. Additionally, she claimed that those associated with the actor were instructed to cut ties with Sae-ron, making it difficult for her to seek support.
More about the legal and financial struggles leading up to Kim Sae-ron's passing
The controversy surrounding Kim Sae-ron's financial difficulties intensified after her aunt revealed further details about the pressures she faced. The actress was already struggling to gather funds and had resorted to borrowing from acquaintances to cover her financial obligations. The sudden legal demand only added to her distress.
Kim Sae-ron's contract with Gold Medalist ended in 2024, at which point she received a legal notice for repayment. As per the reports by Kbizoom dated March 10, 2025, she reportedly tried contacting Soo-hyun but could not reach him. An alleged text message from Sae-ron was revealed, which shows the late actress pleading with him for some time to return the favor.
The text allegedly sent by Sae-ron read:
"Oppa, this is Sae Ron. I received the letter of certification today, that [your company] is suing me. You said that you would give me ample time, so I’m working hard, preparing to make a comeback. I will pay you back with a percentage from each work."
She continued:
"I’m not saying that I won’t pay you back, but if you suddenly ask for ₩700 million KRW (about $480,000 USD) right now, I really can’t do anything. It’s not that I won’t, but I can’t. Do you really have to take it as far as a lawsuit? Please save me… I beg of you. Give me some time."
Feeling isolated and under immense pressure, she allegedly posted a past photo with Kim Soo-hyun online in an attempt to spark a response from him. This was when Queen of Tears, which featured Soo-hyun with actress Kim Ji-won, was gaining popularity. However, instead of receiving support, she was met with another legal notice accusing her of damaging his reputation.
Following these revelations, Gold Medalist has not yet issued a response to the latest allegations.
Sae-ron was found dead on February 16, 2025, which happened to be the same day as Kim Soo-hyun's birthday, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
