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Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, confirmed on Friday that he was in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron from 2019 to 2020. However, they denied claims that he pressured her to repay any of his debts. After Sae Ron’s passing (on Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday), reports emerged claiming that he dated her when she was a minor.
Gold Medalist clarified that Kim Soo Hyun had no involvement in her financial issues. They also addressed reports about a text Sae Ron sent him asking for leniency, saying it was taken out of context. In a statement shared with YTN, they explained that to move forward with writing off the debt, they had to follow a formal procedure. This included sending a legal notice to Kim Sae Ron, but they made it clear it wasn’t meant to pressure her for repayment. It was part of the required process to finalise closing the debt. “Additionally, if her debt was forgiven, there was a risk that she would have to pay a gift tax on the amount waived. The message she sent to Kim Soo Hyun on March 19, 2024, regarding her financial situation must be understood in this context.”
The agency firmly denied any claims that Kim Soo Hyun was personally involved in the matter. “The financial dispute was strictly between Gold Medalist and Kim Sae Ron. The notion that Kim Soo Hyun personally lent her money or pressured her for repayment is baseless. He never loaned her any money, nor did he demand repayment, as he was never in such a position,” they said.
Also read: Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron from 2019-2020, agency confirms: ‘She was an adult’
They went on to share that Kim Soo Hyun received a text message from Kim Sae Ron during this time, but the agency had advised him not to respond and to leave it in their hands. Claiming that the two parted ways for almost four years after Sae Ron exited Gold Medalist, the agency further clarified, “At the time, she had left the agency and lacked sufficient legal knowledge regarding her debt. This led her to reach out to Kim Soo Hyun, who was not involved in the matter. By then, the two had been separated for four years.” Later on, her legal representative contacted Gold Medalist to acknowledge the debt and discuss a way to resolve it. GM emphasised that any attempt to link her tragic passing to this financial issue was unfair and baseless.
The Gold Medalist called out the Garo Sero Institute for spreading false allegations that Kim Soo Hyun ignored Sae Ron’s plea for help with her debts, which supposedly pushed her to an extreme decision. “He was unfairly painted as a villain who drove her to this,” the agency stated.
The talent agency, which is home to big names like Seol In Ah, Choi Hyun Wook, Kim Su Gyeom, Kim Seung Ho and Lee Chae Min, even alleged that they worked to reduce Sae Ron’s debt from 1.14 billion KRW to 700 million KRW after her 2022 drunk-driving case. They also denied seizing her car, saying they helped arrange its sale to ease her financial burden.
Also read: K-Diddy? Kim Soo Hyun compared to disgraced US rapper overseas; K-netizens call it ‘embarrassing’
Gold Medalist stated that from Kim Sae Ron’s point of view, she likely believed her debt issue with them was fully resolved. They underlined that linking her passing, which happened a year later, to this financial matter is “baseless and misleading.” The agency clarified they had waived her repayment, set interest, and late fees at zero, and made sure she wouldn’t face extra tax burdens.
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