MANILA, Philippines — Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, has released a detailed statement addressing and refuting allegations made in a recent YouTube video by HoverLab Inc. The video claimed that the South Korean actor dated the late Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor, sparking widespread controversy. Gold Medalist has firmly denied these claims, labeling them as “clearly false and baseless,” while also addressing accusations of harassment and mishandling of Sae-ron’s 2022 DUI incident.
The agency clarified that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship, but only after Sae-ron had reached legal adulthood. The relationship reportedly lasted from the summer of 2019, a year after Sae-ron turned 18, until the fall of 2020. Gold Medalist provided evidence, including metadata from photos and clothing details, to disprove HoverLab’s claims that the relationship began when Sae-ron was a minor. The agency emphasized that all photos presented by HoverLab as evidence were taken during Sae-ron’s adulthood.
Kim Sae-ron, who tragically passed away on February 16, 2024, at the age of 24, had been the subject of false rumors linking her death to Soo-hyun. Gold Medalist revealed that these baseless allegations caused Soo-hyun severe psychological distress, exacerbated by paparazzi lingering near the agency’s premises. The agency also denied claims that Soo-hyun pressured Sae-ron to repay a 700 million won debt, clarifying that they had written off her debt as a loss in December 2023 due to her inability to repay it.
Gold Medalist further criticized HoverLab for distorting facts, including misrepresenting photos of Soo-hyun sending letters to Sae-ron during his military service in 2017. The agency stressed that such actions were common among friends during military service and were not exclusive to Sae-ron. They also revealed that HoverLab’s informant was not a family member of Sae-ron but an acquaintance of her mother, raising questions about the credibility of the claims.
The agency concluded by condemning the spread of false information, stating that Soo-hyun has been unfairly targeted and scapegoated in the wake of Sae-ron’s tragic passing. Gold Medalist urged the public to consider the full context and avoid condemning individuals based on distorted evidence. While confirming the authenticity of leaked photos, the agency emphasized that HoverLab’s manipulation of information has caused significant harm to Soo-hyun’s reputation and mental well-being.
This statement aims to set the record straight and provide clarity amid the ongoing controversy, while also honoring the memory of Kim Sae-ron.
