Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has been cleared of allegations that he dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, after police reportedly concluded that key evidence used to support the claims had been fabricated.
The development came after prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, the operator of the controversial YouTube channel Hoverlab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, over allegations that he spread false information about the actor.
Korean media reported that police found the claims that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was underage to be false.
The controversy began after the death of Kim Sae-ron in February last year, when the YouTube channel alleged that she had been in a six-year relationship with Kim Soo-hyun from the time she was a minor. The allegations later expanded to claims involving debt pressure, manipulation and public opinion surrounding the actress’s death.
Investigators reportedly found that key materials released by Kim Se-ui, including KakaoTalk screenshots disclosed last March, had been altered.
According to Korean media, 11 screenshots of conversations between the late actress and an unidentified person in 2016 were edited in several places to make the sender appear to be Kim Soo-hyun.
Audio files released at a press conference last year, which were used to allege an underage relationship and sexual contact, were also found to have been manipulated using artificial intelligence, reports said.
Authorities reportedly concluded that Kim Se-ui knowingly spread false information about Kim Soo-hyun for financial motives, including YouTube revenue.
The allegations have since developed into multiple criminal cases. Kim Soo-hyun previously filed complaints against the YouTube channel and members of the late actress’s family over defamation and the distribution of a private image, while seeking 12 billion won, or about US$8.3 million, in damages.
Kim Sae-ron’s family had also accused Kim Soo-hyun and his fan club of violations including defamation and breaches of the Child Welfare Act. Police rejected allegations against the fan club last May, saying the case did not meet the threshold for prosecution.
Kim Soo-hyun has denied the allegations throughout the controversy. He previously acknowledged having dated Kim Sae-ron, but said the relationship took place only when she was legally an adult.
Kim Sae-ron, was found dead at her home on February 16, 2025, at the age of 25 — the day of Kim Soo-hyun's 37th birthday.
