On May 26, the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, the head of controversial YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute. Authorities cited concerns over destruction of evidence and risk of flight.
Kim Se-ui is facing multiple charges, including defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, stalking law violations, violations of sexual violence-related laws involving distribution of illegal recordings, coercion, and threats.
The following day, Kim Soo-hyun’s agency Gold Medalist released an official statement disclosing the results of the investigation.
According to the agency, all allegations and evidence presented by Garo Sero Institute were determined to be false.
Gold Medalist stated that the KakaoTalk conversations involving the late Kim Sae-ron, which had been publicly revealed during a press conference, were fabricated and manipulated conversations between unrelated third parties rather than messages involving Kim Soo-hyun himself.
The company also claimed that the controversial audio recordings circulated online were AI-generated and manipulated using artificial intelligence technology.
The agency emphasized that Kim Soo-hyun had previously promised during a press conference that he would not simply ask the public to trust him, but would instead prove the truth through legal procedures and investigation. According to Gold Medalist, the investigation has now officially confirmed those claims.
Despite the legal developments, public opinion has not fully shifted in Kim Soo-hyun’s favor.
Many observers believe the actor’s initial handling of the controversy significantly damaged public trust. At first, Kim Soo-hyun’s side denied that he had ever dated Kim Sae-ron. However, the agency later revised its statement, acknowledging that the two had been in a relationship between 2019 and 2020, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult.
Although authorities reportedly concluded that some of the evidence distributed online had been manipulated through AI technology, photos showing the two appearing close had already circulated widely online. As a result, many believe the actor’s public image suffered irreversible damage regardless of the legal outcome.
Online reactions have remained harsh even after the investigation findings were released.
Comments such as “I won’t wait for his comeback” and “There are plenty of actors who can replace him” have reportedly spread across online communities and social media platforms.
The situation highlights the growing divide between legal conclusions and public emotion in celebrity scandals, especially in South Korea’s entertainment industry where reputation and trust often carry as much weight as formal investigations.
Sources: Daum | TV리포트
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