The law firm hired by Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, to demand the late actress Kim Sae-ron to pay her debt last year is part of the prosecution pursuing the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Kim Soo-hyun has been embroiled in the controversy about his alleged past relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was still a minor in 2015 that lasted for six years until 2021, and the debt she owed Gold Medalist representing damages for the 2023 Netflix series “Bloodhounds.”
Kim Sae-ron was found dead last Feb. 16, coincidentally on Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday. Her career came to halt when she was involved in a drunk driving incident in May 2022.
On April 5, 2023, the Seoul Central District Court found her guilty for drunk driving and imposed a fine of 20 million won (about $13,740).
YouTube channel HoverLab (Garosero Research Institute) has been releasing information including letters and photos related to Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun.
One of the documents it released by HoverLab is the certified letter sent to Kim Sae-ron regarding her debt of 686.4 million won (about $472,000) out of the total amount of 700 million won (about $482,000), representing settlement fee for her drama appearance in the Netflix series “Bloodhounds,” which starred Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi.
Kim Soo-hyun kissing Kim Sae-rin in two photos released by Kim Sae-ron's family to YouTube channel HoverLab (Screenshots from HoverLab videos)
The demand letter sent by law firm LKB & Partners, hired by Gold Medalist, to Kim Sae-ron in March last year. (Screenshots from HoverLab videos)
Kim Sae-ron was part of the drama but when her drunk driving incident happened in May 2022, her appearance in the drama was minimized.
The demand letter was sent on March 15, 2024 by Seoul law firm LKB & Partners, which was hired by Gold Medalist last year to demand Kim Sae-ron to pay the amount.
Lee Sae-ron was part of the drama but when her drunk driving incident happened in May 2022, her appearance in the drama was minimized. The amount became Kim Sae-ron’s debt after Gold Medalist paid it.
LKB & Partners is part of the National Assembly’s impeachment prosecution representatives appointed for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Four lawyers from LKB & Partners are in the prosecution in the impeachment trial.
When Kim Sae-ron received the certified letter from the law firm, she sent a text to Kim Soo-hyun, begging him to help her and allow her to pay the amount little by little. He did not respond to her text, according to the YouTube channel.
The demand letter contained the remaining balance that Kim Sae-ron owed the agency representing the settlement amount from advertisement and drama appearance contracts that arose from the drunk driving incident.
In the letter, with the subject debt payment, LKB & Partners told Kim Sae-ron that she entered into a loan contract with Gold Medalist amounting to 686.4 million won on Dec. 22, 2022 with the promise to pay it by Dec. 31, 2023.
“You (Kim Sae-ron) have not paid the above loan debt even though it is due. Our law firm is urging payment of the above loan debt on behalf of our client (Gold Medalist). Please deposit the full amount of the above loan into the account below as soon as possible,” the letter told her.
The law firm added, “If you do not deposit the above loan, the client will take civil and criminal legal action against you.”
It was also agreed that Gold Medalist would be responsible for the repair and sale of the Land Rover Defender vehicle that Kim Sae-ron previously owned.
After receiving the certified letter, Kim Sae-ron sent Kim Soo-hyun a message, stating, "Oppa, it's Sae-ron. I received a certified letter. They are suing me. I'm diligently preparing for my comeback because they said they'd give me plenty of time, and I'll pay back a certain percentage of each project. I'm not saying I won't pay, but if you ask me for 700 million won right away, I really can't. It's not that I won't, I just can't, but do I really have to go to court? Please save me. I'm begging you. Give me time."
Also contained in the demand letter is the settlement amount of 333.169 million won (about $229,000) which was for the sneakers brand endorsed by Kim Sae-ron. The ad came out in 2021.
Gold Medalist earlier denied all the allegations including the claim that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.
Gold Medalist issued a new statement, saying, “We would like to address the recent content related to Mr. Kim Soo-hyun that aired on the Garosero Research Institute. Gold Medalist will clarify the facts and address unfounded rumors by presenting clear evidence next week. We apologize for any prolonged discomfort caused,” Chosun Biz reported.