Late South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron’s family submitted a fresh complaint to the police on Monday, this time against YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, for peddling lies against the deceased star and her past relationship with K-drama superstar Kim Soo Hyun.
In a press conference held at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on March 17, Kim Se Eui, the head of HoverLab Inc, said, “This press conference marks the beginning of the first lawsuit, and we will continue to pursue legal action from this point forward.” He also demanded a public apology from Kim Soo Hyun.
The official statement by Sae-ron’s family and representatives read, “On March 24, 2024, the deceased uploaded a photo of her with her ex Kim Soo Hyun. This was because she had received a certification of contents demanding repayment of debts from Kim Soo Hyun’s agency. Hoping that Kim Soo Hyun might not be involved in this matter, she attempted to contact him, but when there was no response, she briefly uploaded the photo, thinking it might prompt him to reach out.”
“However, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho, for reasons unknown, not only denied the past romantic relationship between the deceased and Kim Soo Hyun but also spread false information that portrayed the deceased in a negative light, making her appear as an unusual or problematic person. This caused the deceased to suffer extreme mental anguish, ultimately driving her to make an irreversible decision,” the statement added.
The family also asked people to “understand the necessity” of revealing Sae-ron’s past relationship with Soo Hyun to prove the alleged lies spread by Lee Jin Ho.
The statement also mentioned that the family is planning legal action against Soo Hyun and his representatives, as his “repeated false statements” have causes distress to the bereaved family.
For those unversed, Sae-ron died by suicide at her Seoul residence on February 16. Post her funeral, members of her family claimed that Soo Hyun was in a relationship with the late actress when he was in his 30s and she was only 15. They also accused the superstar of pressurising her to repay a 700 million won penalty.
However, the Queen of Tears’ star’s agency denied all the claims, and added that though personal pictures and letters were shared, Soo Hyun never Sae-ron when she was a minor.
The controversy has resulted into Soo Hyun facing massive backlash by netizens and people are now calling for a complete boycott of his shows and other projects. The actor has also lost several brand endorsement deals worth millions, including one by Prada.
