Kim Soo Hyun has been at the center of intense public scrutiny due to serious allegations linking him to a past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron. Claims suggest that Soo Hyun dated Sae Ron when she was only 15 years old, while he was 27, igniting a wave of backlash and media frenzy surrounding the legality and morality of the alleged romance.
The controversy gained even more momentum following Kim Sae Ron’s untimely death on February 16, 2025, which coincidentally was Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday. Her grieving family came forward with allegations that Soo Hyun emotionally manipulated Sae Ron and took advantage of her vulnerability throughout their supposed six-year relationship.
Adding fuel to the fire, the YouTube channel GaroSero became involved by leaking private chat messages and romantic photos allegedly shared between Soo Hyun and Sae Ron, reportedly dating back to 2016. These leaks served to intensify public outrage and reinforce the allegations already being circulated.
In an attempt to clear his name, Kim Soo Hyun addressed the media on March 31 during a highly emotional press conference. Visibly tearful, he firmly denied being in a relationship with Sae Ron while she was underage. Despite his emotional plea, the general public largely remained unconvinced, dismissing his tears as insincere and mocking his display.
Sae Ron’s family escalated matters further by organizing their own press conference, joined by GaroSero’s CEO and their legal counsel. During this session, they released audio allegedly recorded by Sae Ron herself, detailing sensitive aspects of her personal life. However, the situation took an unexpected twist when a whistleblower involved in the case suddenly retracted a previous statement, complicating the narrative.
Amid this growing storm of allegations and media drama, Kim Soo Hyun’s career received an unexpected boost. His popular K-drama series Queen of Tears resonated strongly with fans and critics alike, earning it the title of “K-Drama Series of the Year” at the 6th VP Choice Awards, proving that the show’s success remained untouched by the personal controversies.
Queen of Tears triumphed over other fan-favorite dramas like Lovely Runner, Love in the Big City, Family By Choice, Judge From Hell, and Marry My Husband. This victory reinforced the show’s immense popularity and solidified its place as one of the year’s standout K-drama productions.
Additionally, Kim Soo Hyun and co-star Kim Ji Won were honored with the “K-Drama Couple of the Year” award, celebrating their on-screen chemistry. While speculation about a real-life romance between the two circulated briefly following the show’s success, those rumors were quickly debunked, leaving fans to focus on their remarkable performances.