The head of YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (GaSeYeon), Kim Se Ui, has been arrested. Amid the latest developments, actor Kim Soo Hyun’s side has suggested that its damages lawsuit, initially filed for ₩12 billion, could be expanded to as much as ₩30 billion.
On March 10 last year, GaSeYeon alleged that the late actress Kim Sae Ron had been in a relationship with Kim Soo Hyun while she was still a minor. The channel also raised suspicions that pressure from Kim Soo Hyun’s side regarding debt repayment had contributed to circumstances surrounding her death.
In response to the allegations, Kim Soo Hyun held an emergency press conference on March 31, firmly denying claims that he had dated Kim Sae Ron while she was underage. He stated that their relationship began only after she had become an adult. The actor also insisted that KakaoTalk messages and photographs presented as evidence had been manipulated.
Throughout the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun became emotional and was seen in tears as he addressed the controversy. He explained that, as a public figure, there were many things he felt responsible for protecting. At the same time, his legal team launched a ₩12 billion damages lawsuit against GaSeYeon and members of Kim Sae Ron’s bereaved family. Since the press conference, the actor has largely suspended his entertainment activities.
The situation recently entered a new phase. After conducting an investigation for approximately one year and two months, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul applied for an arrest warrant for Kim Se Ui on charges including violations of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, defamation, intimidation, and attempted coercion. The court approved the warrant on May 26, citing concerns over possible destruction of evidence and the risk of flight.
Following news of the arrest, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, released a statement emphasizing that the various allegations and evidence presented by GaSeYeon had been found to be false through the investigative process.
The agency further stated that the KakaoTalk conversations publicly disclosed during the controversy had been altered and fabricated from conversations involving unrelated third parties rather than Kim Soo Hyun. It also claimed that audio recordings attributed to the late actress were determined to be manipulated materials generated using artificial intelligence technology.
Expressing gratitude to investigators, Gold Medalist recalled Kim Soo Hyun’s statement from a year earlier, when he told the public, “I won’t ask you to simply trust me. I will prove it.” According to the agency, the actor spent the past year focused entirely on keeping that promise and was ultimately able to establish the truth through legal procedures and a thorough investigation. The company also thanked fans who continued to support him during the ordeal.
Attention is now turning to whether Kim Soo Hyun’s legal team will significantly increase the scale of its damages claim.
In an interview with MBC’s News Today on May 28, attorney Ko Sang Rok, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal representative, revealed that the estimated financial losses currently stand at around ₩30 billion. He suggested that the amount sought in the lawsuit could be adjusted accordingly.
The attorney explained that the actor suffered substantial damages, including a prolonged halt in activities, losses related to advertising contracts, and delays in scheduled projects. One of the most notable setbacks was the indefinite postponement of Disney+ original series Knock-Off, which significantly impacted his career plans.
Now that the allegations surrounding Kim Soo Hyun have been challenged through the ongoing legal process and investigative findings, public interest is gradually shifting toward the possibility of his return to the entertainment industry.
With the damages lawsuit potentially growing and the controversy entering a new legal stage, attention remains focused on what Kim Soo Hyun’s next move will be.
Sources: Daum
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