Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, at around 5 PM on February 16, 2025. South Korean society was shocked, and many people mourned her passing.
However, public opinion prior to her death was quite the opposite. In the past, Kim Sae-ron had been involved in controversies due to drunk driving and hit-and-run incidents. As a result, she reportedly struggled with her acting career and financial difficulties due to critical public opinion.
Even after her death, various controversies have arisen. Kim Sae-ron’s family members have alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron since November 19, 2015, when she was still a minor. When Kim Soo-hyun’s side denied this, the bereaved family released some photos claiming they were from their dating period and demanded an apology. Kim Soo-hyun’s side explained that they only dated after she became an adult and that the man in the photos was not him.
The bereaved family also claims that Gold Medalist, the agency Kim Sae-ron was affiliated with at the time of her drunk driving incident, pressured her to repay her debt. In response, Gold Medalist explained that they reduced the compensation amount to 700 million won, and when Kim Sae-ron faced difficulties in her activities, they wrote off the debt as a loss in December 2023. They also stated that the second content-certified mail was merely a notification of legal procedures.
Recently, a YouTuber who has been sued by the bereaved family for disclosing personal information of celebrities has made claims that Kim Sae-ron had an abortion and was married to another man, sparking new controversy.
There are questionable aspects in the attitude of the bereaved family, and Kim Soo-hyun’s side’s explanations are also problematic. The important point is that despite nothing being properly revealed yet, the public is once again being swayed by various sensational information and engaging in witch-hunt-like behavior against one side. It’s regrettable that even after someone’s death, South Korean society seems unable to reflect or grow, and instead continues to search for new culprits or witches to blame.
The exact reasons for Kim Sae-ron’s death are unclear and may never be fully known. However, what is certain is that the public had demonized her up until her passing. It is strange that now, suddenly, people are pretending to care about her and acting as if they will resolve the injustice of her death.
Kim Sae-ron was born on July 31, 2000, and made her debut in the 2009 film “The Man From Nowhere.” Her representative works include “The Man From Nowhere,” “The Ajussi,” and “A Girl at My Door.”
Kim Soo-hyun was born on February 16, 1988, and made his debut in the 2007 MBC sitcom “Kimchi Cheese Smile.” His representative works include “Dream High,” “Moon Embracing the Sun,” and “My Love from the Star.”
