South Korean superstar Kim Soo Hyun finally ended his silence over the Kim Sae-ron dating scandal and addressed the media on Monday in his first-ever press conference on the controversy. While he admitted dating the late actress for a year, he had a major breakdown when he claimed that her family was trying to portray him as a murderer, something which he was not.
In his statement, Soo Hyun apologised to everyone who has been affected by the scandal, and stated that he chose to “protect Kim Soo Hyun the star over Kim Soo Hyun the person”. “The truth is, the deceased and I dated for about a year, five years ago, four years before Queen of Tears aired. But at the time, I denied our relationship,” he admitted.
Looking back at his humble beginnings, Soo Hyun shared that he was scared to risk his stardom and career for a relationship that had ended years ago. “Whenever I faced a choice between being Kim Soohyun the person and Kim Soohyun the star, I always chose to protect the star. I was afraid every single day. I kept thinking, what if all the choices I made to protect Kim Soohyun the star ended up backfiring on me? I was scared of everything,” he said.
Did Not Date Kim Sae-ron When She Was Minor: Kim Soo Hyun
Having said that, Soo Hyun then stated that he did not date Sae-ron when she was a minor. “I did not date the deceased when she was a minor. And it is not true that she made a tragic choice because I turned my back on her or because my agency pressured her over her debts,” he said.
He stated that while he did feel like reaching out to Sae-ron after her DUI accident, he could not as he felt it was not his place to contact her again as both of them had already moved on. “I have always received more love than I deserve, but I have also faced just as many misunderstandings. But now, the deceased’s family is claiming that because I was her ex-boyfriend, I drove her to her death. They are demanding that I confess to something I didn’t do. They say: You manipulated her since she was a minor. You pressured her financially and caused her death,” he said.
Kim Soo Hyun Accuses Sae-ron’s Family Of Fabricating Lies
Soo Hyun then went on to address the photos, videos and audio files that have been dropped online by Sae-ron’s family over the past few days. He accused the family of fabricating false audio files and manipulating the dates on their photos and chats, to make them look like they were from the time the late actress was a minor.
“Whenever my agency or I respond to their so-called evidence, suddenly, a new voice recording appears. Photos and videos with altered timestamps, as well as edited KakaoTalk images instead of the originals, are presented as proof. Fake testimony and fabricated evidence continue to spread, all because I once had a relationship with the deceased. I will accept any criticism for the choices I have made. But that doesn’t mean that lies suddenly become the truth,” Soo Hyun said, as he broke down in tears.
Afraid Of Being Framed As Murderer: Kim Soo Hyun
Speaking through sobs, Soo Hyun concluded, “I am afraid of what new accusations or distortions will be made today to frame me as a murderer. Once this press conference ends, I don’t know what new fake evidence or fabricated testimonies they will use to damage my reputation and harm others. But if I were to give in to their pressure and call lies the truth, I would not only betray myself as Kim Soohyun the person but also all those who have trusted and loved Kim Soohyun the star. If I did that, I would be telling those who supported me that they admired a piece of trash, and that would leave them with lifelong pain.”
He added, “I will take full responsibility for the things I have done. I am willing to accept any criticism for them. But I cannot take responsibility for things I haven’t done. For everyone who still believes in me, I want to make this one thing clear. I won’t ask you to trust me, I will prove it to you.”
