The family of the late actress Kim Sae Ron has intensified their legal pursuit against actor Kim Soo Hyun. In a second press conference, they disclosed an audio recording in which Sae Ron discussed a past relationship with Soo Hyun, claiming it began during her middle school years. The recording also included unsettling claims of emotional manipulation and inappropriate behavior, including the sharing of explicit material.
Held on May 7 at 2 PM, this latest press briefing featured not only Kim Sae Ron’s family and their attorney, Bu Ji Seok, but also Kim Se Eui, the head of HoverLab. Se Eui, who has been actively involved in this case, was previously sued by Kim Soo Hyun’s team for alleged stalking, according to Soompi reports. The conference aimed to provide updated evidence and further insight into the late actress’s allegations.
During the press event, attorney Bu Ji Seok revealed that Sae Ron had been in touch with a whistleblower based in New Jersey just a month before her death. This conversation, lasting about an hour and a half, was reportedly recorded with Sae Ron’s knowledge and consent. The actress discussed her relationship with Kim Soo Hyun during this conversation.
The whistleblower mentioned by the legal team reportedly faced physical assault in the U.S. last month by two unidentified men—one of Korean and one of Chinese descent. The FBI has reportedly launched an investigation into the incident. The lawyer emphasized that the family urged the partial release of the audio recording, citing the urgency of the situation.
The conference featured excerpts from the recording, in which Sae Ron claims to have dated Kim Soo Hyun since middle school and broken up after entering college. She described being frightened by Soo Hyun and his agency, alleging manipulative behavior and emotional harm. Sae Ron recounted receiving a photo from Soo Hyun depicting a sexual act with another woman, which deeply affected her.
The late actress further explained in the recording that she felt exploited from a young age and that her relationship with Soo Hyun began when she was still a minor. She said that after her car accident, she was portrayed in a negative light while Soo Hyun and his agency distanced themselves. She described how the actor mocked another woman he had been with by saving her contact under a demeaning nickname in his phone.
In a disturbing claim, Sae Ron disclosed that their first sexual encounter occurred during her second year of middle school. Reflecting on it, she suggested that she had not fully grasped what had happened at the time. She lamented how those who knew of their relationship reacted passively and failed to intervene or question Soo Hyun’s behavior.
The family’s legal team has filed criminal charges against Kim Soo Hyun, citing violations of the Child Welfare Act and defamation through false accusations. Their lawyer also expressed concern for the safety of both the whistleblower and Kim Sae Ron’s relatives, noting the presence of suspicious vehicles near her aunt’s residence. The family has requested police protection for themselves and for Kim Se Eui as the inv
estigation continues.