Kim Soo Hyun’s Agency Takes Legal Action by Filing Criminal Complaint Against Late Kim Sae Ron’s Family and Kim Sae Eui(Garo Sero) for Leaking Inappropriate Private Photos
Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, GOLD MEDALIST, has filed criminal complaints against both the Garo Sero Research Institute and Kim Sae Ron’s family. The action follows the release of a photo allegedly showing Kim Soo Hyun at Kim Sae Ron’s house. The agency claims the photo’s release constitutes sexual harassment.
Legal Action Against Garo Sero and Kim Sae Ron’s Family
On March 20, 2025, GOLD MEDALIST made a formal announcement regarding the legal actions. They stated:
“GOLD MEDALIST, as the agency managing actor Kim Soo Hyun, has filed a criminal complaint against Kim Sae Eui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as “Garo Sero”), who posted a photo of actor Kim Soo Hyun taken with his pants down during a live broadcast on his YouTube channel today. The criminal complaint is also pertaining to the bereaved family of the late actress Kim Sae Ron and an unidentified individual claiming to be Kim Sae Ron’s aunt, who allegedly provided the photo to Kim Sae Eui, leading him to post it.”
The agency’s statement clarified that the complaint stems from an alleged photo of Kim Soo Hyun at Kim Sae Ron’s residence.
Allegations of Sexual Harassment
GOLD MEDALIST asserts that the distribution of the photo constitutes sexual harassment. They explained:
“The charges include violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (distribution of footage filmed using cameras, etc.).
As stated in our previous statement, GOLD MEDALIST is deeply saddened by the passing of the late actress Kim Sae Ron, who was once part of our agency, and we continue to mourn the loss. However, the photo of actor Kim Soo Hyun posted on Garo Sero’s channel was taken during a period when Kim Soo Hyun and an adult Kim Sae Ron were in a relationship. The photo contains an image of Kim Soo Hyun’s body that could cause him sexual humiliation, and it is a photo that should neither be made public nor has any reason to be disclosed. Posting such a photo on a YouTube channel is clearly a criminal act, and Garo Sero has been threatening Kim Soo Hyun by stating their intention to continue releasing similar photos. Therefore, GOLD MEDALIST is left with no choice but to take strong legal action against such behavior.”
The suit refers to the alleged photo of Kim Soo Hyun at Kim Sae Ron’s house.
Further Legal Threats
The agency emphasized the gravity of the photo’s release and threatened further legal action:
“The act of distributing or publicly displaying footage of another person’s body, which may provoke sexual desire or humiliation, without the subject’s consent, is a serious crime. We hope such actions will not be repeated.
Furthermore, the false information spread by the bereaved family of the late Kim Sae Ron and Garo Sero through broadcasts and other channels continues to rapidly spread across the internet, fueling baseless rumors. Out of respect for the sudden passing of the late Kim Sae Ron, we had refrained from taking legal action against her family. However, the unauthorized distribution of a photo containing the body of actor Kim Soo Hyun is a grave matter that cannot be overlooked, and due to concerns about future repetitions of such conduct, we have inevitably proceeded with filing a complaint against Kim Sae Ron’s family as well. Should the bereaved family of the late Kim Sae Ron and Garo Sero persist in spreading false information, we will be left with no choice but to take comprehensive legal action to protect the honor of our agency and actor.”
Full Statement from Kim Soo Hyun’s Agency:
Gold Medalist, as the management company for Kim Soo Hyun, has filed a criminal complaint today against Kim Se Eui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, and an unidentified person claiming to be the aunt of the late Kim Sae Ron, who provided the photo that was posted during a live broadcast. The charges include violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (distribution of illegal footage).
We would like to emphasize that we are deeply saddened by the passing of Kim Sae Ron, who was once a part of our agency, and we have been mourning her loss. However, the photo that Garosero Research Institute posted was taken when Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were adults and involved in a personal relationship. It captures a part of Kim Soo Hyun’s body that could cause him sexual embarrassment and should never have been made public. Posting such an image constitutes a criminal act. Furthermore, Garosero Research Institute has threatened to release more similar photos, which leaves us with no choice but to take decisive legal action.
Additionally, the false information spread by Kim Sae Ron’s family and Garosero Research Institute continues to circulate online, fueling baseless rumors. Out of respect for Kim Sae Ron’s memory, we initially refrained from taking legal action against her family. However, the unauthorized distribution of Kim Soo Hyun’s private photo is a serious violation, and given the risk of recurrence, we have decided to proceed with legal action.
If Kim Sae Ron’s family and Garosero Research Institute persist in spreading false information, we will take comprehensive legal measures to protect our actor and our agency.
March 20, 2025 Legal Representative for Gold Medalist L.K.B & Partners
