Authorities continue to look into the legal disputes involving actor Kim Soo Hyun and the late actress Kim Sae Ron. In a new development, a separate report filed by Kim Sae Ron’s family has now been assigned to Gangnam Police Station for further investigation. This comes amid growing controversy and media attention surrounding the two figures.
During a press conference held on May 19, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s acting chief, Park Hyun Soo, confirmed that Kim Sae Ron’s family’s complaint, which involves an alleged breach of the Child Welfare Act, is being managed by the Women and Juvenile Crime Division. Meanwhile, the AI-related lawsuit initiated by Kim Soo Hyun is under the jurisdiction of the station’s Criminal Investigation Division.
At this stage, the police have not yet questioned the accused individuals in Kim Soo Hyun’s case, although his legal team is reportedly working on scheduling a statement. So far, seven legal complaints have been submitted by Kim Soo Hyun’s side, while three have been filed from Kim Sae Ron’s.
In the midst of the legal storm, Kim Soo Hyun has begun facing severe consequences from corporate partners. Reports indicate that some South Korean and overseas brands have started to distance themselves from the actor. In Taiwan, 7-Eleven’s headquarters terminated their endorsement agreement with Kim Soo Hyun and revealed considerable financial losses tied to the cancellation.
According to Taiwan’s SETN on May 17, 7-Eleven halted all product manufacturing and marketing involving Kim Soo Hyun. The company claimed that scrapped merchandise and advertising campaigns led to losses worth around 130 million TWD (6 billion KRW or roughly 4.3 million USD). Officials from the company are currently contemplating filing a lawsuit to recover damages from the actor.
Controversy erupted after rumors circulated suggesting that Kim Soo Hyun had a romantic relationship with Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. These allegations were brought forward by her family via the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute. Kim Soo Hyun’s representatives denied any illegal activity, stating the relationship began when Kim Sae Ron was legally an adult. In response, they filed an 11 billion KRW (approximately 8 million USD) lawsuit against her family and the YouTuber behind the claims for defamation, false information distribution, and damage to reputation.