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On March 11, 2025, several reports alleged that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was 15. These claims originated from a YouTube channel called Garosero Research Institute, established by a trio of former journalists: Kang Yong-suk, Kim Se-ui, and Kim Yong-ho.
On March 10, 2025, the Garosero Institute released a video featuring a supposed conversation with Kim Sae-ron's aunt. In the video, the aunt alleged that the Queen of Tears star, Kim Soo-hyun, and Kim Sae-ron began dating when she was 15 and he was 27 and that they maintained their relationship for six years. The duo allegedly dated from 2015 to 2022 and broke up when Kim Sae-ron was arrested for drunk driving.
Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics related to suicide, which may be distressing to some readers.
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These allegations came a month after the actress's death. The Bloodhounds actress took her own life on February 16, 2025, which coincidentally falls on Kim Soo-hyun's birthday.
More about Garosero as it accuses Kim Soo-hyun of grooming and dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor
The founders of Garosero are Kang Yong-suk, a former lawyer and politician; Kim Se-ui, a former MBC reporter; and Kim Yong-ho, a former entertainment journalist. The channel's name, "Garosero," translates to "vertical and horizontal," symbolizing their commitment to exposing sensational stories.
The channel first gained significant attention in 2021 when it alleged that Seo Ye-ji, the star of It's Okay to Not Be Okay, displayed manipulative and obsessive behavior toward her former boyfriend, Kim Jung-hyun, the actor from Crash Landing on You. These allegations impacted Seo Ye-ji's career, leading her to step back for over three years.
In November 2023, Garosero revealed the identity of a manager linked to the late Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun's drug case. This manager was confirmed to have blackmailed Lee Sun-kyun, extorting 300 million won (approximately $205,871) from him. The actor committed s*icide in December 2023.
Recently, Garosero's Kim Se-ui interviewed the aunt of the late actress Kim Sae-ron. The aunt claimed that Kim Sae-ron joined Gold Medalist, the agency co-founded by Kim Soo-hyun in 2019, out of dedication to him. She alleged that since they were dating, Sae-ron even volunteered to mentor rookie actors for free and directed new talents for Gold Medalist.
Additionally, the aunt told Garosero host Kim Se-ui that after Sae-ron's DUI incident in 2022, Kim Soo-hyun offered to cover her damages amounting to 700 million KRW (around $480,324.11). After two years, when Sae-ron's contract with Gold Medalist ended in 2024, she allegedly received a formal debt notice requesting that she pay back the money.
Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, strongly denied these claims. It has labeled the allegations "completely false" and announced intentions to pursue legal action against the channel. As per the Herald Pop, the official statement issued by Kim Soo-hyun's agency read:
"Garosero Research Institute claimed that Kim Soo-hyun and YouTuber Lee Jin-ho colluded to harass the late Kim Sae-ron, claimed that the late Kim Sae-ron had been dating Kim Soo-hyun since she was 15...These are all false facts that we absolutely cannot tolerate, and our company plans to consider taking the strongest possible legal action against the Garosero Research Institute for spreading false facts."
After the Gold Medalist's warning of possible legal action, Garosero responded defiantly. The channel mocked the agency's legal threats and expressed intentions to report Kim Soo-hyun for allegedly engaging in a s*xual relationship with a minor. In a post, the channel stated,
"Kim Soo-hyun must not know who Kim Se-ui from Garosero Research Institute is, LOL. Legal cation, huh? Even the oh-so-great world star BTS once threatened legal action against Garosero. What was the outcome? All of them went off to enlist. So, what can Kim Soo-hyun do? He’s a mere Hallyu star who’s only popular in China."
The channel stated that it would file a report against Kim Soo-hyun for allegedly becoming intimate with a minor when he was 27.
"We dare you to try pulling that ‘legal action’ stunt on the bereaved, too. LOL. And sometime tomorrow, you can expect a report to be filed against you for the charge of having s*x with a minor. Dating an 8th grader?! We sure hope you didn’t actually have s*x with her."
Kim Sae-ron was a South Korean actress who began her career at a young age. She became popular for her roles in Bloodhounds and other projects. However, her career faced challenges following a DUI incident in 2022, which resulted in legal issues and her removal from several film and drama projects.
Kim Sae-ron took her own life at home. Her body was discovered by a friend, who promptly informed the police.
