New evidence has sparked a firestorm of debate about when Kim Soo Hyun’s relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron really began. The actor has insisted it started in 2019, but photos and messages uncovered recently point to a much earlier timeline—possibly as far back as 2015. This clash of stories has left fans and the public buzzing with questions, and it’s shaking up the South Korean entertainment world.
Hold onto your seats—things just got juicy! A former journalist dropped a bombshell during a livestream that’s got everyone talking. Photos and chats from years ago are now front and center, challenging everything Kim Soo Hyun has said about his past with Kim Sae Ron. Let’s break it all down with the latest facts, straight from the sources, and see what’s really going on.
Fresh Evidence Sparks Doubts
On March 31, 2025, a former journalist named Kim went live online, right after Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference. He shared photos that seem to poke holes in the actor’s story. One picture stands out: it shows Kim Sae Ron eating, and fans quickly spotted something wild. Her outfit and hairstyle match exactly what she wore on the December 12, 2015 episode of MBC’s Show! Music Core, where she was an MC. People online compared the two side by side and said, “Yep, same day for sure.”
Here’s where it gets interesting. In old KakaoTalk messages that were pieced back together, Kim Soo Hyun allegedly commented on that food photo, saying:
“Isn’t this seriously too cute?”
That message ties him to the moment—and the date. Back on December 12, 2015, Kim Sae Ron was just a second-year middle school student, only 15 years old. That’s a big deal because it means she was underage. If they were connected back then, it directly clashes with Kim Soo Hyun’s claim that their relationship kicked off in summer 2019, when she was 19.
Fans didn’t stop there. They dug up clips from that Music Core episode and matched her look—same clothes, same hair. It’s hard to argue with that kind of detail. This has people online asking: Was Kim Soo Hyun hiding the truth?
Kim Soo Hyun Sticks to His Story
At his press conference on March 31, 2025, held at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Seoul, Kim Soo Hyun faced the storm head-on. He didn’t back down, saying loud and clear:
“The deceased and I dated for about a year, five years ago—four years before Queen of Tears aired.”
He’s talking about a relationship from summer 2019 to fall 2020. That lines up with what his agency, Gold Medalist, has been saying all along—they’ve insisted the romance only happened after Kim Sae Ron was an adult. During the event, he stood firm, denying any link to her when she was a minor. He even got emotional, which some saw as real heartbreak and others called a play for sympathy.
But the timing he gave—five years ago from 2025—fits his 2019-2020 story. Queen of Tears, his hit drama, aired in 2024, so four years before that lands in 2020. He’s doubling down, but the new photos are making it tough for everyone to just take his word for it.
Kim Sae Ron’s Family Fights Back
Kim Sae Ron’s family isn’t letting this go quietly. They’ve been sharing their own evidence, saying the relationship started way earlier—back in November 2015, when she was 15 and he was 27. They claim it lasted six years, until July 2021. That’s a huge gap from what Kim Soo Hyun says.
They’ve released more than just the food photo. There’s a picture of a man—people think it’s Kim Soo Hyun—drinking soju and eating dakbokkeumtang (spicy chicken stew) with Kim Sae Ron. Another shows her sleeping in a bed, hinting at a close bond. These images don’t come with exact dates stamped on them, but the family says they back up their side.
They’ve also pointed to KakaoTalk chats from 2016, where Kim Soo Hyun allegedly told Kim Sae Ron he missed her and wanted to “fall asleep with her” in his arms. She was still 15 then, turning 16 in July 2016. If those messages are real, they paint a picture of something deeper than friendship—way before 2019.
Legal Battle Heats Up
This isn’t just talk anymore—it’s a full-on legal showdown. Kim Soo Hyun has hit back hard. He’s filed a criminal complaint for defamation against Kim Sae Ron’s family, a woman claiming to be her aunt, and the journalist Kim. On top of that, he’s launched a ₩12 billion (about $9 million USD) civil lawsuit for damages. He says these accusations are lies tearing apart his reputation.
His agency has called the leaked photos—like one of him washing dishes in his underwear at Kim Sae Ron’s home—a violation of privacy. They say those were from 2019 or 2020, not earlier, and should never have gone public. They’re fighting to clear his name and stop more leaks.
Meanwhile, Kim Sae Ron’s family has their own legal moves. They’ve sued YouTuber Lee Jin Ho from Garo Sero Research Institute for defamation, saying he spread false stories about her life. They’re pushing for an apology from Kim Soo Hyun and Gold Medalist, claiming he played a role in her struggles after her 2022 DUI scandal and her death by suicide in February 2025.
What’s the Real Story?
So, where does this leave us? The 2015 Music Core outfit match is tough to ignore—it’s a solid clue tying Kim Soo Hyun to Kim Sae Ron when she was underage. The KakaoTalk messages, if they’re legit, add more weight. But Kim Soo Hyun and his team swear it’s all a misunderstanding, sticking to their 2019-2020 timeline.
The photos from the family—like the soju one—don’t have clear dates, so they’re harder to pin down. And the legal back-and-forth means both sides are digging in, with no one backing off. Fans online are split—some are furious, calling for Kim Soo Hyun to step away from acting, while others say he’s being unfairly attacked without hard proof.
One thing’s for sure: this story’s far from over. More evidence could drop any day, and the courts might have the final say. For now, the public’s watching every move, trying to figure out what really happened between these two stars.
