Did Kim Soo Hyun’s press conference clear his name, or dig a deeper hole? On March 31, 2025, the popular South Korean actor stepped into the spotlight at an emergency press conference to tackle serious claims about his past with the late actress Kim Sae Ron. The accusations? That he dated her when she was underage—a charge that’s rocked his career and sparked fierce debate. Kim Soo Hyun firmly denied it all, but his defense has left many unconvinced, especially online.
The buzz started earlier this month when Kim Sae Ron’s family, backed by the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (HoverLab), dropped a bombshell. They shared KakaoTalk messages—allegedly between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron from 2016—showing flirty exchanges. At the time, Kim Sae Ron was just 15, while Kim Soo Hyun was 28. The chats included lines like, “When can I fall asleep holding you?” and “Do it for real later,” painting a picture of something more than friendship. Her family says the pair dated from 2015 to 2021, a timeline Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, have fought tooth and nail.
At the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun didn’t hold back. He apologized for the pain caused but stood his ground.
“I did not date the deceased [Kim Sae Ron] when she was a minor. We dated with good feelings, and after some time, we broke up. After that, we were no longer in contact like before,” he said.
He claimed their relationship only happened later, from 2019 to 2020, when Kim Sae Ron was an adult. To back this up, he brought out a forensic report. According to him, experts analyzed the 2016 and 2018 messages released by her family, plus his recent chats with friends, and found the “person” texting in 2016 wasn’t the same as in 2018.
“The institution concluded that the person in the 2016 messages is not the same as the person in the 2018 messages. This has been the most painful part of this controversy,” he explained.
But here’s where it gets messy—netizens aren’t buying it. Online, especially on platforms like Instiz, people are tearing into his defense. They argue that how someone texts can change over time or depend on who they’re talking to. One user laughed, “A KakaoTalk tester, LOL,” while another jabbed, “From now on, everyone should speak the same way they did two years ago.” Others questioned the science behind it: “Wow! How scientific!” and “Oh my God, seriously. I don’t think even an elementary school kid would make such an excuse.” The skepticism runs deep—some even wonder who hired the forensic team and why they’d stake so much on something so shaky.
The heat didn’t let up after the presser. Just hours later, more photos surfaced—intimate shots of Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron together, adding fuel to the fire. These images, released by HoverLab, seem to challenge his story further, keeping the public hooked and the debate raging.
Kim Sae Ron’s family isn’t backing down either. They’ve leaned on their own forensic proof, saying the messages they shared were pulled straight from her devices, no edits, no tricks. Their lawyer, Bu Ji Seok, has stressed that the chats are “100% original,” reconstructed only for privacy, not to change the meaning. They’re pushing for accountability, claiming Kim Soo Hyun’s denials dodge the truth and hurt their grieving family more.
This isn’t just a he-said-she-said story—it’s a clash of evidence and emotion. Kim Soo Hyun’s career is taking hits; brands like Prada have dropped him, and his upcoming Disney+ drama Knock-Off is delayed. Meanwhile, Kim Sae Ron’s tragic death in February 2025—ruled a suicide at age 24—looms large. Her family ties her struggles to this saga, including a 700 million KRW debt demand from Gold Medalist after her 2022 DUI crash.
So where does it stand? Netizens remain split. Some see Kim Soo Hyun’s tears and forensic card as a desperate play, while others question why Kim Sae Ron’s family waited until after her death to speak. Posts on X echo the doubt: one user noted her family’s chats were “digital forensic proved,” while his rely on “the way he talked”—a method many call flimsy. The truth’s still murky, but one thing’s clear: this story’s far from over.
People way of talking especially change depending on who they talk to. He would not be talking to his peers the same way he talked to the 15 year old he groomed. https://t.co/I5sNQloAUI
A forensic statement analyst who pointed out that KimSoohyun’s KakaoTalk messages didn’t match his usual speech pattern also predicted during the Nth Room case that the perpetrator, "Doctor," was likely a man in his mid-40s with extensive knowledge, exceptional writing skills,… https://t.co/D4AM1qDdt3
— 🇰🇷Feminist Sanctuary🇰🇷 (@sanctuary_for_f) March 31, 2025
people in online forum are saying….
“A KakaoTalk tester, LOL.”
“From now on, everyone should speak the same way they did two years ago.”
“Wow! How scientific!”
“So is he saying he didn’t send the messages or what?”
“LOL, Please. Who hired that agency seriously? Did they not consult with anyone around them or what…”
“Oh my God, seriously. I don’t think even an elementary school kid would make such an excuse.”
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