Newly surfaced letters claim Kim Sae Ron dated Kim Soo Hyun since high school, fueling underage dating controversy

During a broadcast on March 25, Garo Sero presented a letter, reportedly dated April 2024, stating that Kim Sae Ron wrote it after receiving a second debt notice of 700 million won (US$482,000) from Gold Medalist, according to entertainment outlet Kbizoom.

South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun. Photo from Gold Medalist's Instagram

A part of the letter, quoted by Garo Sero, reads: "Oppa, please help me... We were together for six years—surely there are still loving memories between us? Please don’t be like this... I hope you’re the one reading this letter, not Lee Ro Be."

The message appears to refer to Kim Soo Hyun’s cousin and agency co-founder, Lee Ro Be.

Garo Sero also revealed another handwritten note, said to have been written after the 2023 death of Kim Sae Ron’s close friend, Moonbin of boy band ASTRO. In that note, Kim Sae Ron reportedly described Kim Soo Hyun as "the first man I dated and met since high school."

While the full contents of the letters have not been made public, their emergence has added further fuel to the controversy, suggesting a relationship timeline that may contradict previous statements from Kim Soo Hyun’s side.

The controversy over Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron’s alleged relationship began when Hoverlab aired an interview on March 10 with the woman claiming to be the late actress’ aunt. She alleged that the two artists had been romantically involved for six years, beginning when Kim Sae Ron was 15.

Kim Sae Ron’s family later claimed that Kim Soo Hyun pressured the actress to repay 700 million won (US$481,626), a financial strain they say contributed to her struggles before her death at age 25. The disputed sum was allegedly provided by Kim Soo Hyun and Gold Medalist to help Kim Sae Ron manage the fallout from her 2022 DUI incident, which severely impacted her career.

Kim Sae Ron' family has recently filed a legal complaint against actor Kim Soo Hyun, alleging that his actions played a role in her death.

South Korean actress Kim Sae Ron. Photo from Facebook

Gold Medalist has denied the allegations of underage dating, stating that Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were only romantically involved between the summer of 2019—when she legally became an adult—and the autumn of 2020.

The company also filed a criminal complaint against Hoverlab operator Kim Se Ui and an unnamed individual claiming to be Kim Sae Ron’s aunt, accusing them of distributing private photos of the actor in violation of South Korea’s sexual crimes law.

Still, the controversy has had significant repercussions for Kim Soo Hyun, leading to a decline in his public image, the loss of major brand endorsements, and a sharp drop in social media followers. The actor has also reportedly lost his title as South Korea’s highest-paid actor amid the scandal.

At 37, Kim Soo Hyun is one of South Korea’s most prominent actors, rising to international fame through hit dramas such as "Dream High," "The Moon Embracing the Sun," "My Love from the Star," "It’s Okay to Not Be Okay," and "Queen of Tears."

Kim Sae Ron was found dead in her Seoul home on Feb. 16, with authorities ruling out foul play. Her funeral was held on Feb. 19.

She gained global recognition as the youngest South Korean actress to attend the Cannes Film Festival for her role in the 2009 film "A Brand New Life" and was the youngest nominee for Best Actress at South Korea’s prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards. However, her career declined after her 2022 DUI incident, which led to the cancellation of multiple acting roles and endorsement deals.