The mother of the late actress Kim Sae Ron has released a public statement, reiterating her claim that Kim Sae Ron dated actor Kim Soo Hyun when she was a minor. Kim Soo Hyun’s side has continued to deny all allegations of a “minor dating scandal,” suggesting that the dispute between the two sides will continue.
On November 25th KST, Kim Sae Ron’s mother distributed an official press statement to the media, beginning with, “Hello, this is Sae Ron’s mother. After much deliberation, I have gathered the courage to write this message.”
She stated, “Our case is currently under investigation. Authorities advised all parties involved to refrain from engaging with the media, and we have respected their recommendation. However, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal representative has continued to upload posts on his YouTube channel, spreading false claims and manipulating public sentiment.” She further emphasized that recent exposure of her niece’s social media ID has led to secondary harm.
She continued, “I worry that the public may be swayed by false claims and view this case incorrectly. To show that Kim Sae Ron and Kim Soo Hyun dated when she was a minor, we are releasing part of the evidence we have today.” She added that even if additional evidence is released, “Kim Soo Hyun’s side will continue making the same claims. Whether the evidence is fabricated or not will soon be determined by the investigation.”
Kim Sae Ron’s mother asserted that acquaintances of the late actress had given specific testimonies. According to the statement, “One acquaintance testified that Kim Sae Ron dated Kim Soo Hyun when she was a minor and that when she traveled to Jeju Island with Sae Ron, Kim Soo Hyun personally drove them to the airport.”
The statement continued, “Many acquaintances stated that Kim Sae Ron originally named her cats ‘Patteok’ and ‘Kkuldeok,’ but changed their names to ‘Dal’ and ‘Gureum’ because Kim Soo Hyun had starred in Moon Embracing the Sun. Friends who knew about the relationship in high school would even quiz others who didn’t know, giving hints by singing the drama’s OST. Some testified that Sae Ron referred to Kim Soo Hyun as ‘Dal-nim.’” A transcript of the acquaintances’ statements was also included.
Her mother also released what she claimed was a memo written by Kim Sae Ron on September 28th, 2017, before Kim Soo Hyun’s military enlistment. The statement explained, “The memo was extracted through forensic analysis of Kim Sae Ron’s electronic devices. All evidence with metadata has been retrieved through forensics without any modification.”
She highlighted key excerpts: “We don’t have much time left (Kim Soo Hyun enlisted on October 23rd, and this memo was written about 25 days prior). Would it be wrong to say I want to spend every day with you until then?”
“It’s not just because you’re going to the military.”
“Things are difficult between us… There are obstacles we have to overcome, and on the surface, that obstacle is me.”
“If you said such things because you genuinely wanted to meet me again, I can wait for you. Or rather, I can just keep liking you.”
The mother claimed these phrases demonstrate that “only people in a romantic relationship would say such things,” and insisted that the memo shows Kim Sae Ron and Kim Soo Hyun were already dating prior to September 28th, 2017.
Meanwhile, Kim Soo Hyun’s side maintains that he only began dating Kim Sae Ron after she became an adult and has completely denied allegations of underage dating. His side has filed criminal complaints against the late actress’s family for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and has also submitted a damages claim worth approximately 12 billion KRW(approximately 8.2 million USD).
SEE ALSO: Remembering Kim Sae Ron: A Talented Actor Gone Too Soon, One Year After Her Passing
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