Actor Kim Soo-hyun maintained his previous stance regarding the privacy revelations claimed by the family of the late Kim Sae-ron, stating, "It is true that we were lovers, but we never dated when she was a minor, nor did I exert financial pressure on her." He cried, saying he would take responsibility for the facts but would correct any falsehoods to the end.
On the afternoon of the 31st, Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, stating, "I can no longer accept the family's continuous threats, the spread of false information, and the pressure to admit to being a 'murderer' and the 'frame' that comes with it," reiterating his firm stance on the matter.
Present at the event were Kim Soo-hyun, his legal representative from LK Partners, lawyer Kim Jong-bok, and co-representative of Golden Medalist, Ahn Seong-soo, and there was no separate Q&A session.
Dressed in all black, he took the stage and bowed his head to apologize, saying, "First of all, I am sorry. It seems that too many people are suffering because of me. I feel sorry that the deceased (Kim Sae-ron) cannot rest in peace."
He described himself as a "coward," saying, "Having very little, I was always preoccupied with protecting what I had. I was busy running away and denying out of fear of losing something or being harmed. That's why it took a long time to arrange this meeting."
He continued, "I wonder how it would have been if I had told everything from the beginning at this meeting," adding, "Every time our private lives were exposed, I thought, 'Let's just talk about everything tomorrow. Let's say it all directly. Let's end this hellish situation.' Yet, I hesitated, was afraid, and was scared of how that decision would affect those around me," showing tears.
Kim Soo-hyun stated, "When the 'Queen of Tears' was airing, the deceased first posted a photo of us together, and I denied our relationship. That deserves criticism. It is natural to say I was selfish and cowardly," but he added, "At that time, I chose and acted as Kim Soo-hyun the star rather than Kim Soo-hyun the human. We had already broken up, and I dated the deceased for about a year after she became an adult. I was someone who could not only think of myself, and that was my responsibility for choosing the life of 'Kim Soo-hyun.' Even if I could go back to that time, I would make the same choice."
However, he firmly expressed his intention to fight against what is not true. Kim Soo-hyun said, "Every day, I am threatened with the exposure of my private life, and even in this fearful situation, I cannot acknowledge what is not true. I have never dated the deceased when she was a minor, and I cannot accept the claim that the deceased died due to pressure from the agency to repay debts," reiterating his previous position.
He added, "The various materials released by the family, such as KakaoTalk messages and photos, are also fabricated or false," and raised his voice, saying, "As I have submitted all the materials I have to public institutions, I hope the family will also submit all the evidence they have previously released to the police to prove its authenticity."
Kim Soo-hyun could not hide his heightened emotions, stating, "If there is something I need to take responsibility for, I will. However, I cannot accept being accused of something I did not do. I cannot accept being forced to accept lies as truth. The family continues to spread false information," and he also revealed actual KakaoTalk messages exchanged with the deceased and a recording related to the 700 million won debt repayment.
He stated, "The KakaoTalk conversation with the late Kim Sae-ron released by the Garoseyro Research Institute is manipulated," and added, "The KakaoTalk messages that the family first released are the same. There are too many incorrect facts for it to be said that the deceased wrote them. The photo claimed to be from 2016 was actually from 2019. The deceased only worked as an affiliated actor in our company and did not participate in casting or visual directing as a rookie."
He continued, "The family continues to label me as a pedophile and accuse me of grooming minors," stating, "However, the individuals conversing with the deceased in the 2016 and 2018 KakaoTalk messages are different people. To prove this fact, I submitted the KakaoTalk messages I exchanged with acquaintances in 2016 and 2018 to a verification agency for scientific analysis. In addition, I will continue to reveal the truth through various materials via investigative agencies."
Furthermore, he added, "I am living in hell day by day, watching my precious people crumble. I will definitely reveal the truth and take responsibility for my actions."
Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative, lawyer Kim Jong-bok from LK Partners, announced after Kim Soo-hyun's remarks, "We have filed a defamation lawsuit against the deceased's family, an unidentified person claiming to be an aunt, and the operator of Gaseyeon," and "We have also submitted a lawsuit for damages amounting to 12 billion won to the Seoul Central District Court today."
Previously, the family of the late Kim Sae-ron claimed on the YouTube channel 'Garoseyro Research Institute' that Kim Sae-ron dated Kim Soo-hyun for six years from November 19, 2015, when she was in the third year of middle school, until July 7, 2021, and that after leaving the agency, they sent a notice of debt repayment of 700 million won from Golden Medalist, psychologically pressuring her. On the 27th, they held a press conference and also revealed private messages exchanged between Kim Soo-hyun and the deceased.
