Kim Soo Hyun's agency denies allegations of minor relationship, shares dating timeline with Kim Sae Ron

Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, has issued a statement denying the allegations made by the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute. While confirming that Kim Soo Hyun did date Kim Sae Ron, the agency clarified that their relationship began only when Kim Sae Ron was of legal age.

Gold Medalist also expressed concern for Kim Soo Hyun's mental well-being, stating that he is exhibiting signs of mental instability due to the intense scrutiny and invasion of his privacy.

Kim Soo Hyun did date Kim Sae Ron but not when she was a minor: Gold Medalist

On March 14, Gold Medalist denied allegations that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor, confirming instead that they dated between summer 2019 and fall 2020, when Kim Sae Ron was an adult. Through the YouTube channel, the late actress' aunt had said their relationship began in 2105 when she was just 15 while he was 27. She alleged that they dated for six years before breaking up in 2021.

Credits: X

The agency disputed claims made by Garasero, stating that photos presented as evidence were actually taken in 2019 and 2020, and that a letter Kim Soo Hyun wrote to Kim Sae Ron while in the military was a friendly gesture, not a romantic overture.

Credit: Garasero Institute

The agency expressed concern over the spread of false information, which has caused pain to Kim Soo Hyun and those close to him and Kim Sae Ron.

Read Gold Medalist's complete statement below:

Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were dating between the summer of 2019 and fall of 2020, after she became an adult. It is not true that Kim Soo Hyun dated her when she was a minor. Kim Sae Ron¡¯s photo that she uploaded on March 24, 2024, on her Instagram story and the photo that Garo Sero Institute shared on March 11, 2025, were private images taken by the two in the winter of 2020 when they were dating [T/N: Gold Medalist¡¯s statement specifically mentioned Winter 2020 while claiming they were dating between Summer 2019 and Fall 2020]. The clothes Kim Sae Ron was wearing at the time were released in June 2019 by the brand, so Garo Sero Institute¡¯s claim that the photo was taken in 2016 when Kim Sae Ron was a minor is impossible.

In addition, another photo shared by Garo Sero Institute on March 12, 2025, was a photo taken by the two on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2019. This can be confirmed through the picture¡¯s metadata. The photo released on March 13, 2025, was taken on the same day, as seen from the fact that they are wearing the same clothes. All of the photos being shared by Garo Sero Institute with the claim that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor were taken after she became an adult. Their claim that these photos were taken in 2016 has no grounds. This is because the two were not dating at that time.

Kim Soo Hyun¡¯s letter to Kim Sae Ron while he was in the military was just one of the letters he sent to his close friends. As you could see from the contents of the letter, Kim Soo Hyun was adjusting to the military lifestyle and used the letter to let his close friends know about his daily life in the military. The expression ¡°I miss you¡± is a light-hearted expression used by soldiers to their close friends. However, Garo Sero Institute is claiming that the two had been dating since 2015, using photos that were taken after Kim Sae Ron was an adult and claiming they were from when she was a minor. They used the postcard sent to Kim Sae Ron after the two were dating to strengthen their claim that the military letter was also a love letter. Kim Sae Ron¡¯s nickname (Saero Nero, ????), which she has used publicly since 2016, was made to seem like it was a nickname that only the two used between each other.

There is a lot of criticism being directed towards Kim Soo Hyun regarding their relationship. Even if a relationship between two adults is a private matter, it is natural to expect Kim Soo Hyun¡¯s life, as a person who is loved by many, will be within the public sphere. If there is criticism to be had, then he should accept it seriously, and it should sting even more. However, due to Garo Sero Institute¡¯s report, a plethora of false claims and misinformation is spreading as if they are true. The informant who appeared on their broadcast and made numerous false claims stated they were part of Kim Sae Ron¡¯s family. But according to one media outlet, she is actually just an acquaintance of Kim Sae Ron¡¯s mother, [not her aunt]. They are distorting reality and creating rumors based on a few photos and information from an informant whose identity cannot even be confirmed.

The fact that others are forcibly revealing the extremely personal private lives of two people, and the fact that both Kim Soo Hyun and the deceased [Kim Sae Ron] are having their private lives discussed alongside numerous rumors and speculative reports, is extremely painful for Kim Soo Hyun and those around both him and Kim Sae Ron. After the private lives of the two were revealed by Garo Sero Institute, we believe that the varied public opinions on his choices are unavoidable. But the past, when two consenting adults dated and broke up, is being distorted by others, and countless lies are still being spread. It is incredibly painful for one person to endure all of this due to their private life. Also, digging into the private life of the deceased is an act of defaming their honor.

Kim Soo Hyun suffering through extreme confusion: Gold medalist

In a separate statement, the agency claimed that the actor is showing signs of sudden psychological instability. It said that it was planning to release a statement with evidence to refute Garosero Institute's claims next week, but Kim Soo Hyun's deteriorating mental health has prompted an earlier response. The agency attributed his distress to the YouTube channel's allegations and the subsequent harassment by paparazzi.

Credit: X

Read Gold Medalist's complete statement below:

Hello, this is Gold Medalist.

We are sharing Kim Soo Hyun¡¯s position on the recent reports from Garo Sero Institute.

We have previously shared that a statement will be shared next week with concrete evidence to refute the claims made in their reports.

However, Kim Soo Hyun showed sudden instability in his psychological health early this morning, so we are taking measures to make sure he is in complete stability. He has been suffering through extreme confusion and chaos due to Garo Sero Institute¡¯s claims he was responsible for Kim Sae Ron¡¯s sudden death. In addition, after their live broadcast ended on March 12, people in cars with cameras were waiting in the company¡¯s parking lot and across the building¡¯s main entrance. Also, around lunchtime on March 13, people holding cameras were loitering around the building, adding to the psychological pressure placed on Kim Soo Hyun.

Please understand that we have released this urgent statement to reveal the truth on major issues. Even though this is different from our original plan, nothing else has priority over this, so we are sharing this statement even though there may still be some loose ends.

Gold Medalist had previously denied Kim Soo Hyun's romantic relationship with Kim Sae Ron.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.