On the evening of April 15, Xportsnews reported that Korean star Kim Soo-hyun had decided to take legal action against “cyber wreckers”, those who profit from spreading harmful rumors on platforms like YouTube and are difficult to track down due to their anonymity.
This came after widespread misinformation, including posts and videos containing false and defamatory information about the actor, prompted his company to take a firm stance.
A representative for Kim Soo-hyun, the star of the drama “The Queen of Tears,” confirmed that they will also work with overseas legal representatives to prosecute harmful content spreading on platforms like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
Kim Soo-hyun’s Official statement:
“Recently, there has been a surge of false posts, comments, and information about our artist, actor Kim Soo Hyun. Many of these posts were based on unfounded speculation and unconfirmed rumors, causing public misunderstandings and severely damaging the artist’s reputation.
Behaviours such as public defamation, spreading lies, personal attacks, and cyber-sexual harassment have become commonplace online and are crimes that cannot be tolerated. Based on fan reports and internal monitoring, we have gathered sufficient evidence and will file legal complaints against the rumor-mongers and those involved in the defamation, in accordance with the Information and Communications Act and the Korean Criminal Code.”
The statement noted that the identities of some of the rumor-mongers have already been revealed and that they will be held legally accountable. The company also pledged to file additional complaints against any offensive or false content that harms Kim Soo Hyun’s reputation.
Background to the Crisis
These decisive moves come as Kim Soo-hyun faces serious rumors about a past romantic relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron. These rumors surfaced on the YouTube channel “Garo Sero Institute,” from a person close to Kim Sae-ron’s family.
This person claimed that the relationship lasted from November 2015 to July 2021, and even claimed that Kim Soo-hyun practiced “psychological manipulation” on Sae-ron when she was a minor. Kim Soo-hyun, however, has categorically denied these allegations, asserting that the relationship (if it existed) occurred after she reached adulthood.
Kim Sae Ron’s family also claimed that the star is pursuing them legally to recover 700 million won (12.6 billion dong) that she borrowed from him to pay compensation for a 2022 drunk driving accident. However, Kim So Hyun’s company has categorically denied that he loaned her money or demanded any compensation, announcing that it will sue her family for defamation and spreading lies that have harmed him psychologically and financially.
