"I will prove it—no matter what." (Kim Soo-hyun)

Actor Kim Soo-hyun appeared before the press, breaking his silence 21 days after the bereaved family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron made public allegations against him. He addressed rumors of underage dating, legal documents, and YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute.

On March 31, his agency Gold Medalist held a press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Only Kim Soo-hyun and his legal representative, attorney Kim Jong-bok of LKB & Partners, were present.

The press conference lasted 36 minutes. Kim Soo-hyun was visibly emotional, choking up as he read his prepared statement. At times, he paused to drink water and compose himself. Twice during the session, he stood up and bowed his head deeply in apology.

◆ Kim's first words: an apology

"First of all, I'm sorry. Because of me, many people are suffering. I feel nothing but heartbreak knowing that even the deceased may not be able to rest in peace."

He also corrected the alleged duration of their relationship. While Kim Sae-ron's family claimed a six-year relationship, Kim refuted this, saying,

"The late Kim Sae-ron and I were in a relationship for about a year, approximately four years before Queen of Tears aired."

In March 2023, Kim Sae-ron posted a photo of herself with Kim Soo-hyun on social media, sparking dating rumors. His side denied them immediately, attributing the photo's timing to the airing of the drama Queen of Tears.

Kim explained,

"There was so much to protect. The actors working with me, the staff, the production company who put everything on the line, and my company. I was afraid of what could happen to them."

He added,

"Even if I went back in time, I would make the same decision. If anyone thinks that choice was cowardly or selfish, I will accept such criticism."

◆ Denial of underage relationship

Kim also strongly denied the rumors of an underage relationship. He presented screenshots of KakaoTalk messages from 2016 and 2018, claiming:

"The people conversing in these messages are different from the deceased and myself."

He submitted the messages to a forensic linguistic analysis center for review. The results stated:

"The 2016 messages differ significantly in tone and linguistic markers from those in 2018 and 2025, suggesting they may not be authored by the same individual."

He also disclosed new audio related to the certified content letter (legal notice). The recording was from a phone call on March 25, 2024, between former Gold Medalist CEO Byun Jin-ho and Go Seung-ah, CEO of Kim Sae-ron's last agency, RUN Entertainment.

Recently, CEO Go appeared on Garosero Research Institute claiming that Kim Sae-ron had faced debt pressure from Gold Medalist. However, the recorded conversation from one year prior paints a different picture.

In the audio, Byun said:

"Please don't be alarmed by the certified letter. It's simply a procedural administrative step. Please explain this well to Sae-ron."

CEO Go replied:

"Yes, of course."

◆ "Please submit all evidence"

Kim questioned the recent shift in CEO Go's statements:

"I can't understand why the CEO would say something completely different from our conversation a year ago. I believe the voice recording the bereaved family claims is evidence was actually recorded after the recent scandal broke."

He urged the family to submit all evidence:

"If what they claim is true, I ask them to submit all materials to the investigative authorities and have them verified through legal procedures."

He also mentioned the controversial YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute:

"I fear what new accusations they'll make today. After this press conference, I don't know what fake evidence or testimonies they'll use to slander me or harass those around me."

Tears fell as he said this.

Kim's legal team has filed a criminal complaint. Attorney Kim said:

"We've filed a complaint for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act against the bereaved family, an unidentified person claiming to be an aunt, and the operators of Garosero Research Institute."

They have also filed a civil lawsuit.

"We submitted a damages claim to the Seoul Central District Court today. The total amount claimed is 12 billion KRW."

Kim Soo-hyun concluded:

"I will take responsibility for anything I've done. I accept all criticism. But for the things I did not do—I must prove the truth. For the sake of everyone who believes in me, I will not stop until it's revealed."