Kim Soo Hyun Case Widens as Kim Sae Ron's Mother Is Referred to Prosecutors

The mother of the late actress Kim Sae Ron has been sent to prosecutors on the same charges facing Kim Se Ui, the Garosero Research Institute representative who was indicted and arrested on charges of spreading false claims that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor, Koreaboo reports.

Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, announced the development Monday. In its statement, the agency said:

"The accomplices involved in a series of crimes, including spreading false information together with Kim Se Ui, have been acknowledged for their criminal charges. Among the accomplices sent to prosecution this time are the deceased's mother and a person impersonating the deceased's aunt."

The Seoul Gangnam Police Station's investigation report lists three charges against the mother, identified as A, and against B, who allegedly posed as Kim Sae Ron's aunt. The charges are defamation by spreading false information under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, distribution of footage taken by camera under the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, and attempted coercion.

Kim Sae Ron's father was not prosecuted.

Two other people were also referred. Attorney Bu Ji Seok faces criminal defamation and the same information network defamation charge. Kwon Young Chan was sent to prosecutors on the camera footage distribution charge under the sexual violence act.

The case goes back to March 2025, when Kim Se Ui began claiming on YouTube broadcasts that Kim Soo Hyun had dated Kim Sae Ron as a minor and was to blame for her death. Kim Se Ui later held press conferences on behalf of the bereaved family, playing audio presented as Kim Sae Ron's voice and releasing what were said to be KakaoTalk messages between the two actors.

Investigators concluded that the recordings were manipulated files made with generative AI and that the KakaoTalk exchanges were fabricated. Kim Se Ui was arrested in May on charges of spreading false information about Kim Soo Hyun.

Gold Medalist closed its statement by thanking investigators, crediting them with checking the facts against extensive materials and objective evidence to establish what the crimes were and who took part in them.