With a puffy red face and eyes full of tears, actor Kim Soo Hyun finally addressed his dating relationship with late actress Kim Sae Ron and the child grooming accusations. Along with announcements for more legal actions, Kim Soo Hyun denied all the allegations against him and explained his side of the story. To better understand what Kim Soo Hyun said at the press conference, join us for a comprehensive summary of the English translation below.
Kim Soo Hyun Denied Allegations and Announces Legal Actions
After weeks of silence and denials, even with all the damning evidence circulating on the internet and social media, actor Kim Soo Hyun finally decided to face the public.
On March 31, Kim Soo Hyun held an emergency press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Seoul. At this press conference, Kim Soo Hyun, dressed in back and fists clenched, delivered his statement with eyes full of tears.
Although the statement was quite extensive, the attending journalists and reporters were still not satisfied with his explanations. Therefore, although the agency had clearly stated that there would be no Q&A session at the press conference, a female journalist still dared to ask, demanding more answers.
However, Kim Soo Hyun paid no attention to her and walked away from the venue as he ended the press conference.
In the end, Kim Soo Hyun’s legal representative declared a massive lawsuit against both the family of late actress Kim Sae Ron and HOVERLAB (Garosero).
“We have chosen to take legal action to address the situation and clarify the facts.
Criminal complaints have been filed against those claiming to be the deceased’s relatives, including an individual identifying herself as her aunt, along with the operators of the YouTube channel ‘Garo Sero Institute’ (Gaseyeon).
Additionally, we have submitted a civil lawsuit to the Seoul Central District Court, seeking 12 billion KRW (approximately USD 9 million) in damages.”
Kim Soo Hyun’s lawyer.
English Translation Summary of His Statement at the Press Conference
So, what exactly did the actor say that made him cry a river during the statement?
Here’s the complete English translation summary of Kim Soo Hyun statement at the press conference. Let us help you understand better what the actor was trying to convey for each point of accusation.
One thing you might want to take note of is that the person Kim Soo Hyun referred to as “the deceased” in the statement was actually the late actress Kim Sae Ron.
Apology and Regret
Firstly, Kim Soo Hyun started with a public apology and regret for the suffering he had caused due to the issue.
“Hello, this is Kim Soo Hyun.
First, I want to sincerely apologize. So many people are suffering because of me right now… and it breaks my heart to think that the deceased may not be able to rest in peace.”
Why It Took Him So Long to Break the Silence
Secondly, Kim Soo Hyun said that he was scared of all the consequences he might have faced as he tried to protect his role as a top Korean actor. Therefore, it took him a while before he could brace himself.
“I see myself as a coward. All this time, I’ve been focused on protecting what I have. I couldn’t even trust the kindness shown to me and was always afraid of losing everything. I was scared of the consequences, so I hid and denied the truth.
That’s why it took me so long to come forward.
I kept wondering how things would have been different if I had held a press conference at the beginning to clear everything up. If I had done that, I wouldn’t have caused so much pain to the fans who love and support me, and to the staff at my management company who worked so hard to prepare for this moment.
Every time new information about me, the deceased, and our private lives came out, I kept thinking, ‘I’ll tell them everything. I’ll reveal the truth and put an end to this nightmare.’ But each time, I hesitated. I was terrified of the consequences of my decision. What if I ruined everything—for everyone, including myself?”
Kim Soo Hyun Admitted Dating Kim Sae Ron for 1 Year Only
Thirdly, Kim Soo Hyun admitted to dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron. Similar to the previous statement from GOLDMEDALIST, Kim Soo Hyun said in the press conference that he dated Kim Sae Ron for 1 year, only after she became an adult.
“Even when ‘Queen of Tears’ was airing, and the deceased posted a photo of us together, I hesitated. We were in a relationship for about a year, four years ago.”
Why Kim Soo Hyun Initially Denied His Relationship
Kim Soo Hyun then explained in the press conference why he denied the relationship at first. According to the actor, it was to protect the reputation of “Queen of Tears.”
“Since I debuted as an actor, I’ve received so much love. I was someone who never had much, and suddenly, I had so much to protect. Even while ‘Queen of Tears’ was airing, I had a lot to safeguard as the male lead. I kept wondering, ‘What will happen if I admit that I was in a relationship with the deceased years ago?’
What would happen to the cast? To the staff who worked tirelessly day and night? To the production company that invested everything in the show? And to my colleagues at my management company? What would happen to all of them?”
Choosing What’s Best for Kim Soo Hyun as a Star, He Will Always Do
Therefore, every time he faced an ordeal, Kim Soo Hyun would always choose to protect his reputation as a global star. Yet, he always fears that this decision will come back to haunt him as a human.
“Every time I faced a choice between being Kim Soo Hyun the human and Kim Soo Hyun the star, I chose what was best for the star. And that terrified me every single day.
Honestly, I was scared every day. What if everything I tried to protect as ‘Star Kim Soo Hyun’ eventually came back to destroy me? I was afraid.
But even if I could go back to the time when ‘Queen of Tears’ was airing, I would make the same decision. I had no other choice. Could I have made any decision just to ease my own conscience? No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t. That was the responsibility I had to bear as someone who chose this life. If you call these decisions cowardly and selfish, I will accept that.”
Kim Soo Hyun Completely Denied All the Allegations Related to Kim Sae Ron
The actor then explained that many had advised him to stay silent, and he did consider waiting and letting the storm pass. However, he just couldn’t admit something he believed he did not do.
“I couldn’t bring myself to admit to something that wasn’t true, just because I was being threatened. Now, I’m going to address the things you all want to know most.
I did NOT date the deceased when she was a minor. The claim that I ignored her, or that she took her life because my management company pressured her over her debts, is NOT true.”
Kim Soo Hyun’s Side of the Story About His Relationship with Kim Sae Ron
At this press conference, Kim Soo Hyun explained that he was dating Kim Sae Ron like any other normal couple. But after breaking up, they lost touch. And when the DUI incident happened, Kim Sae Ron had already been dating someone else.
“Apart from both of us being actors, we were just like any other couple.
We started dating because we had feelings for each other, and eventually, we broke up. After that, we lost touch.
Like most couples, it wasn’t easy for me to reach out after the breakup, especially since we were both public figures. When we were under the same agency, I was aware of how she was doing, so I didn’t reach out. That’s also why I didn’t contact her when she got into the DUI incident.
I heard that the YouTube channel representing the deceased’s family claims that her former agency’s CEO said she suffered because of me during that time.
But as far as I know, she was in a relationship with someone else back then. That made it even harder for me to know what to say or how to reach out.
We had both moved on with our lives—what could I possibly say?”
All the Accusations Were Slander and Falsehoods
The actor then denied all the accusations from HOVERLAB (Garosero) and Kim Sae Ron’s family.
“Falsehoods spread as if they were facts, but I accepted that as part of the burden I had to bear.
However, the deceased’s family is now claiming that, as her ex-boyfriend, I drove her to her death. They are pressuring me to confess to something I did NOT do.
They’re saying, ‘You groomed her when she was a minor. You pushed her financially to the point where she took her life. You are a murderer.’”
Presenting Evidence from His Side
Then, Kim Soo Hyun presented his own side of the evidence at the press conference. According to Kim Soo Hyun, the second legal notice was only procedural, and he didn’t understand why Kim Sae Ron’s family is now saying the opposite.
“Please listen to this recording.
After the deceased’s family revealed our relationship, the YouTube channel representing them released a statement from the CEO of her last agency. In the recording, they claimed that my company pressured the deceased over her debts by sending a second legal notice.
However, in a phone call with my agency’s CEO a year ago, the same person said something entirely different. Please listen to yourself.
[Plays a recording of GOLD MEDALIST’s lawyer explaining that the second legal notice was a procedural step to Management Run CEO.]I only learned the truth about this after everything unfolded. But this is the reality about the second legal notice.
I don’t understand why the CEO of the deceased’s agency is now saying something completely different. I will take full responsibility for anything I did wrong. It’s only right to be held accountable. But I cannot admit to something I didn’t do.”
Not only that, but Kim Soo Hyun also said that all the alleged KakaoTalk evidence was fabricated.
“The same goes for the KakaoTalk messages that the bereaved revealed. There are too many inconsistencies for them to have been written by the deceased.
The photo they claim is from 2016 is actually from 2019. The deceased wouldn’t have gotten something as simple as our age difference wrong.
The bereaved revealed KakaoTalk messages between me and the deceased during a recent press conference. Based on these messages, the YouTube channel is now framing me as a grooming predator.
But the people speaking in the 2016 and 2018 KakaoTalk messages are different individuals. To prove this, I submitted copies of the 2016 and 2018 messages provided by the bereaved, along with my personal copies of recent KakaoTalk messages with my friends, to an analysis organization that specializes in statement forensics.
The analysis concluded that the speakers in the 2016 and 2018 messages were different individuals.”
He then stated that Kim Sae Ron was a regular actress at the company. She had never been one of the founding members of GOLDMEDALIST.
“She was solely an actress under their management—she didn’t handle rookie recruitment or visual directing.”
Kim Soo Hyun Demands Official Verification by Law Enforcement
Finally, Kim Soo Hyun ended the statement at the press conference by demanding an official investigation.
“I will accept any criticism for my decisions. But that doesn’t mean lies suddenly become the truth.
Just as I had my KakaoTalk messages analyzed, I will ensure that every piece of evidence presented by the family undergoes thorough forensic examination.
If their evidence is real, I urge them to submit it to law enforcement for verification through legal channels.”
Kim Soo Hyun.
From English Translation Summary of Kim Soo Hyun Press Conference – Your Thoughts?
So, now that you have gone through all the details of the English translation summary of Kim Soo Hyun press conference, what are your thoughts?
The English translation summary revealed that Kim Soo Hyun had addressed the allegations, admitted to his fears and regrets, and firmly denied claims he believes are false at the press conference. It’s a complex situation that raises important questions about accountability, fairness, and how public narratives are shaped.
Now with the investigations ongoing and perspectives clashing, it is of the utmost importance to reserve judgements and stay objective.
Hence, how do you feel about his statements? Has your perspective changed? What impact do you think this will have on his career and the industry as a whole? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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