The recent controversy surrounding the late actress Kim Sae Ron and actor Kim Soo Hyun has brought to light a complex web of past relationships and startling allegations. What began with a family friend’s claims of a six-year relationship between the two, starting when Kim Sae Ron was 15, has now expanded to include accusations of a secret marriage, alleged abuse, and claims of infidelity involving others connected to Kim Soo Hyun.
The Alleged Secret Marriage of Kim Sae Ron
Reporter Lee Jin Ho brought forth the claim that Kim Sae Ron had been married after her relationship with Kim Soo Hyun supposedly ended. He pointed to a now-deleted Instagram post from January by Kim Sae Ron with the caption “Marry” featuring an unidentified man.
The man in the photo was later identified as Kim Sae Ron’s non-celebrity ex-husband, a businessman residing in the United States. Lee Jin Ho also released audio recordings where a woman, purported to be Kim Sae Ron, stated to a former agency staff member that she married him after he allegedly threatened her into the marriage and pressured her regarding a pregnancy. She reportedly said, “He kept subtly threatening me about it. He’s kinda insane.”
In another leaked audio recording shared by Lee Jin Ho, a person identified as Kim Sae Ron’s close friend claimed that the alleged abuse by the husband, including threats and physical assault, contributed to Kim Sae Ron’s death. However, Kim Sae Ron’s family has stated they were unaware of any marriage or pregnancy.
On March 25, Kim Sae Ron’s ex-husband released a statement through the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute. He described their relationship as a rapid romance that ended just as quickly. He stated they met in mid-to-late November 2024 and legally married on January 12, 2025. They decided to divorce due to the speed of their marriage without thorough consideration, the challenges of a long-distance relationship, and differences in their personalities.
Kim Sae Ron’s ex-husband (left) | @ron_sae/Instagram
According to Kim Sae Ron’s ex-husband, Kim Sae Ron was never pregnant with his child, he did not blackmail her into marrying him, and their relationship was not abusive. He also provided a marriage certificate as evidence.
The Involvement of Ex-Boyfriend “K”
Following the revelations about Kim Sae Ron’s ex-husband, her ex-boyfriend, known as “K,” gave an exclusive interview to the media outlet THE FACT. “K’s” real name, Chan Hee, became public as THE FACT did not redact all personal information from the evidence he provided.
“Fan Pick” contestant Lee Chan Hee. In an interview, Kim Sae Ron’s Friend “A” hinted that “K” was a contestant on MBC‘s idol audition program, “Fan Pick.”
“K” claimed that Kim Soo Hyun was not responsible for Kim Sae Ron’s death, instead blaming her ex-husband and her family. He alleged that he provided comfort and support to Kim Sae Ron during her marriage, which he described to THE FACT as abusive. “K” stated that Kim Sae Ron’s husband attempted to isolate her by taking her phone and monitoring her, which allegedly led her to self-harm. He also claimed to have received threatening messages from the husband.
Kwon Young Chan, head of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association, refuted “K’s” claims on behalf of Kim Sae Ron’s family. He questioned the depth of personal issues someone would share with a person they dated for only a month, and found inconsistencies in “K’s” statements blaming the family while exonerating Kim Soo Hyun.
A friend of Kim Sae Ron known as Friend A, who reportedly lived with her, also denied “K’s” allegations. Friend A suggested that “K” might have been threatened into speaking against Kim Sae Ron. Friend A hinted that “K” was an idol contestant on the show “Fan Pick.” Friend A stated,
I mean, I don’t think he’s a bad guy, based on what I know. He’s a quiet, introverted person… Like, when his phone conversation recording with director Kwak Tae Yong was leaked, he was terrified. So, I don’t think he’s the vile type. But seeing how he turned and wrote the statement and all… I have to suspect that either Kim Soo Hyun or Kwak Tae Yong threatened him and got to him. Like, I have reason to believe so.
Allegations of Kim Soo Hyun’s “Concubines”
Another friend of Kim Sae Ron, Friend B, offered further insights into Kim Sae Ron’s romantic relationship with Kim Soo Hyun. Friend B claimed that Kim Soo Hyun allegedly cheated on Kim Sae Ron multiple times when she was underage.
In a conversation with reporter Lee Jin Ho, Friend B stated that Kim Sae Ron, who had legally changed her name to Kim Ah Im, held significant resentment towards Kim Soo Hyun. Friend B explained,
Lee Jin Ho (in a hoodie) facing Lee Yo Min (in brown) in the CCTV footage from Friend B’s bar. | Garosero Research Institute/YouTube
Ah Im* held a lot of resentment toward Kim Soo Hyun. Think about it. He played her when she was a child. You know what Sae Ron always said? She said it was such a struggle keeping her place for six years. As the queen, per se… because he kept bringing in concubines.
Lee Jin Ho responded with surprise, “Oh…”
Friend B continued,
But she put up with all of it because he promised to marry her.
A Korean news outlet, Vegan News, has since reported that two of these alleged “concubines” were members of rival top-tier girl groups who are currently active. While their names were redacted, the report mentioned that one of these idols had previously been involved in dating rumors with Kim Soo Hyun.
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