Explainer | What case of Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron says about how South Korea treats celebrities

An actress under relentless scrutiny. An actor accused of underage dating. His tearful denial. Her suicide. What is it with actors in Korea?

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South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun reacts during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, in March 2025, as he denies underage dating allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:15pm, 5 Apr 2025

A young actress’ suicide in South Korea. Allegations of an underage relationship. These are part of a growing drama in the Asian entertainment world that raises questions about society’s treatment of celebrities in crisis, with harsh media and online commentary amplifying their lowest moments.

This week, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun publicly denied allegations that he dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was under the age of sexual consent. His emotional press conference followed Kim Sae-ron’s suicide in February, which reignited allegations that they were romantically involved.

Here’s what we know about the case.

Who was Kim Sae-ron?

Kim Sae-ron was once one of South Korea’s most promising film stars. She began acting aged nine in A Brand New Life (2009), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She gained further recognition with The Man from Nowhere (2010) and A Girl at My Door (2014), also invited to Cannes.

Her career was halted in May 2022 after she crashed her car in Seoul while drunk. Despite offering a public apology and reportedly paying compensation to shops that lost power because of the crash, she faced relentless negative attention.

South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron arriving at the Seoul Central District Court in South Korea, in April 2023. Photo: AP

Media and online commentators scrutinised her personal life. YouTube gossip channels accused her of exaggerating financial difficulties and questioned her sincerity. Critics, and her family, say it contributed to her declining mental health.