Actor Kim Soo-hyun's lawyers vow to sue far-right YouTuber for claims about relationship with late actress
Published: 28 May. 2026, 16:41
-
- CHO YONG-JUN
- [email protected]
![Actor Kim Soo-hyun holds a press conference to address allegations that he had a relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor at the Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul, on March 31, 2025. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/28/f67d265c-4b0f-4948-9fa2-be50b2c6ec8f.jpg)
Actor Kim Soo-hyun holds a press conference to address allegations that he had a relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor at the Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul, on March 31, 2025. [YONHAP]
Actor Kim Soo-hyun's legal team vowed to file a 30 billion won ($19.9 million) civil suit against the head of far-right YouTuber Kim Se-eui for damages caused by allegedly fabricated claims about Kim Soo-hyun's relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron.
"Kim Se-ui spread false claims that Kim Soo-hyun carried out a long relationship with Kim Sae-ron beginning when she was a minor and that pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's agency to repay a debt had driven her to death," Kim Soo-hyun's legal representative said in an interview with the MBC News on Thursday.
Earlier last week, the Seoul Gangnam Police Precinct, which had investigated the case for about a year, concluded that Kim Se-eui had used AI to fabricate an audio recording, as Kim Soo-hyun's side had alleged.
"This is an unprecedented case in which unverified suspicions were spread, and the narrative distorted to manipulate public perception, and even core materials such as KakaoTalk messages and audio were fabricated," the lawyer said.
"It's a collective, premeditated social crime that tried to destroy the honor and life of an innocent victim — an actor loved by people around the world — with fabricated evidence."
![Kim Se-ui, the operator of YouTube channel Hoverlab, attends a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on May 26. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/28/5dcecf6b-fb5b-40b9-b94d-8be8ab81c976.jpg)
Kim Se-ui, the operator of YouTube channel Hoverlab, attends a court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on May 26. [NEWS1]
Kim Soo-hyun's side previously filed a civil suit seeking 12 billion won in compensation, based on estimates at the time, which rose to 30 billion won, according to the lawyer.
Kim Se-eui is currently in custody following an arrest warrant submitted by the police, citing the risks that he could destroy evidence or flee.
BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)