“Dispatch,” a Korean media outlet, confirmed on Wednesday (12 Mar 2025) that intimate photos of actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron are authentic.
The outlet revealed discrepancies in statements from Kim Soo-hyun’s agency about a 700 million Korean won debt (about SGD$642,300).
Kim Soo-hyun’s agency claimed the 700 million won debt pursuit was “just a formal legal filing.” However, Kim Sae-ron believed the actor wanted full repayment.
Kim Sae-ron’s career collapsed after a drunk driving incident. Her agency Goldmedalist paid all penalty fees.
She received a lawsuit demanding debt repayment in March 2024, despite thinking she could repay gradually.
Kim Sae-ron sent a message to Kim Soo-hyun: “You said you would give me ample time, so I’ve been working hard to prepare for a comeback. I planned to use a percentage from each project to slowly repay. It’s not that I won’t pay back, but I really can’t do it now. Please help me and give me some time.”
After receiving a cold response from his agency, Kim Sae-ron leaked a photo of herself with Kim Soo-hyun on March 24, 2024.
“Dispatch” contacted Kim Sae-ron on March 25, 2024. She replied: “I can’t talk to you now and can’t give you the response you want, sorry,” and “I don’t want this message to become news. I’m just responding out of courtesy because you messaged me.”
“Dispatch” visited Kim Sae-ron’s neighborhood after her death. A neighbor said: “After the death news broke, I knew it was Kim Sae-ron. I remember she often cried on the stairway, with marks on her wrists. I felt she was young but living a hard life. Until then, I didn’t know she was an actress. I thought she moved to Seoul with her sister.”
Kim Soo-hyun has lost over 200,000 Instagram followers due to this controversy.
Beauty brand Dinto announced a pause on his schedule. Another brand will not renew his contract, with stores already replacing his photos.
Korean media reported that CJ Foodville’s bakery brand Tous Les Jours signed a six-month endorsement contract with Kim Soo-hyun in September 2024, ending in March.
The brand has decided not to renew. Many stores have replaced promotional posters with new product photos.
CJ Foodville previously selected Kim Soo-hyun as Tous Les Jours’ spokesperson in 2015 and renewed the partnership in 2024.
Recent allegations that Kim had a relationship with Kim Sae-ron while she was underage sparked widespread discussion, prompting CJ Foodville to decide against renewal.
Kim Soo-hyun currently has an upcoming drama Knock-Off and more than 10 endorsement deals across fashion, food, beauty, and electronics.
Most brands say they are monitoring the situation. If more solid evidence emerges against Kim Soo-hyun, he could face breach of contract penalties up to millions of US dollars (at least SGD 13.33 million).
