Actor Kim Soo-hyun, embroiled in allegations of a romantic relationship with a minor, will speak out 44 days after the death of Kim Sae-ron. It is expected that there will be acknowledgments or denials regarding a series of events, placing Kim Soo-hyun at a crossroads of fate.
Kim Soo-hyun will attend a press conference on the allegations of a romantic relationship with a minor that have surrounded him since Kim Sae-ron's death at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul, on the 31st. This comes 44 days after the death of the deceased, and Kim Soo-hyun will attend alongside attorney Kim Jong-bok of LK Partners.
Allegations of a romantic relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron date back to March of last year. At that time, Kim Sae-ron posted a photo on her personal social media with Kim Soo-hyun, touching cheeks, but then deleted it. In response, Kim Soo-hyun's side dismissed the rumors, stating, "The allegations are unfounded," and noted, "We have no idea of the intention behind Kim Sae-ron's actions."
The allegations seemed to be just rumors, but resurfaced again following Kim Sae-ron's death. After the deceased passed away on the 16th of last month, the family claimed through the YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute" (hereafter referred to as Gaseyeon) that Kim Sae-ron had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun for about six years since she was a minor. According to a statement prepared by Kim Sae-ron that was made public through Gaseyeon, the two dated from November 19, 2015, to July 7, 2021.
The family increased the intensity of the allegations by releasing text messages sent by Kim Sae-ron to Kim Soo-hyun, letters sent by Kim Soo-hyun to Kim Sae-ron, and photographs suggesting they were in a close romantic relationship. In response, Kim Soo-hyun's team announced that they would issue a statement based on "clear evidence," but later released the statement earlier than anticipated, stating that Kim Soo-hyun was showing signs of psychological instability.
Kim Soo-hyun's team reversed their initial claim that the rumors of a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron were unfounded. According to Kim Soo-hyun's team, their relationship began after Kim Sae-ron became an adult, from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020. They refuted the photographs released by the family one by one, asserting that the allegations of a romantic relationship during her minor years, referred to as "grooming allegations," are not true. They also claimed that it is not true that Kim Soo-hyun ignored Kim Sae-ron's financial issues.
Allegations continued amid stark differences in positions. In particular, following allegations by a YouTuber that Kim Sae-ron was pregnant and had undergone an abortion, the family released mobile text messages exchanged between Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun from 2016, as well as direct messages exchanged with acquaintances in 2024, and a letter written by Kim Sae-ron that was never delivered to Kim Soo-hyun. The family stated, "The reason we had to reveal the fact that they were in a relationship since her minor years was to sue the YouTuber who spread false information and ridiculed her to the point of driving her to death, but what has come back is the indiscriminate exposure of the private lives of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, who are lying and spreading falsehoods. We aim to put an end to the controversy by presenting evidence."
After the family’s press conference, Gaseyeon alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had inappropriate relationships with other actresses from girl groups while maintaining a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron. Following the family's press conference, there had been no considerable statement from Kim Soo-hyun's side until they announced an urgent press conference on the evening of the 30th, indicating that Kim Soo-hyun would make a personal appearance.
However, there will be no question-and-answer session during the press conference. Kim Soo-hyun's team stated, "We kindly ask for your understanding that there will be no separate question-and-answer time aside from the statement of our position." As he publicly appears for the first time in 44 days, there are expectations for him to clarify the allegations surrounding him in detail, but the decision not to hold a Q&A session raises concerns that it might turn out to be a half-hearted press conference.
A fateful day and crossroads for Kim Soo-hyun. As he makes his public appearance 44 days after the death of the deceased, all eyes are on his statements.
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