On March 14, 2025, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, made headlines with their statement addressing allegations surrounding the late Kim Sae-ron's financial struggles and their past relationship. The agency's response came after revelations from the YouTube channel, Garosero Research Institute, which claimed the two had been dating since 2015, when Kim Sae-ron was just 15 years old.
Gold Medalist refuted these claims, clarifying, "Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron officially dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after she had reached adulthood." They insisted any suggestion of their relationship during Kim Sae-ron's minor years is categorically false. This rebuttal came as various images of the couple circulated, leading to public scrutiny and backlash.
The agency also criticized the distorted narrative around Kim Sae-ron's tragic death. They stated, "It is not factual to imply Kim Soo-hyun had any role pushing her to her death due to financial pressure over her penalties from her drunk driving incident." The drunk driving accident had resulted in penalties exceeding 1.1 billion KRW, and it was reported Gold Medalist took significant steps to cover these costs to alleviate Kim Sae-ron's burden.
Gold Medalist explained how they proactively reduced the compensation amount following her accident and later covered approximately 700 million KRW of her debts, even assisting with vehicle repairs resulting from the incident. The agency firmly stated, "Kim Sae-ron faced challenges after her drunk driving incident, which led us to determine she was unable to repay her debts. Consequently, we reclassified her debts as uncollectible at the end of December 2023, following appropriate legal protocol.
Gold Medalist also revealed communication details between Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun. On March 19, 2024, Kim Sae-ron sent Kim Soo-hyun a message expressing her desire for time to manage her finances, stating, "I’m preparing to come back and will pay back gradually, but can we avoid the lawsuit? Just give me some time," indicating her struggle with the severe financial repercussions of her actions.
Despite the backlash, Gold Medalist emphasized their commitment to handling Kim Sae-ron's situation with sensitivity, reflecting sympathy for her plight rather than malice. They noted, "Our attempt to address her debts should never be mischaracterized as harassment or coercion." They claimed they even set interest rates to zero to ease her burden during the repayment process.
Gold Medalist's urgent statement followed Kim Soo-hyun's psychological distress allegedly due to the intense public scrutiny. The agency reported he exhibited signs of extreme anxiety after the accusations began surfacing, leading them to assure his well-being.
The controversy intensified on the internet as accusations circulated about Kim Soo-hyun being directly responsible for Kim Sae-ron’s choices and struggles. While the agency confirmed the relationship, the agency clarified their refusal of the allegations, insisting, "The claims linking her demise to our agency's involvement are malicious speculations. The established narrative surrounding our actions must be addressed accurately and should not implicate Kim Soo-hyun unfoundedly."
Gold Medalist contended the narrative linking Kim Sae-ron's death to her financial troubles erupted from irresponsible journalism and misleading interpretations of shared facts, with the photo evidence they provided asserting their timeline of the couple's relationship.
With sources and images being misused, Gold Medalist articulated their intention to pursue legal avenues against the accusations, asserting they possess valid grounds to dispute the claims disseminated by Garosero Research Institute.
The agency stressed, "A proper validation process should be ingrained within media practices, particularly when distorting someone's image or personal circumstances. We will not allow Kim Soo-hyun or any of our artists to suffer the repercussions of unfounded allegations."
The emotional toll of this public scandal has rapidly raised discussions about celebrities' personal lives versus the expectations of privacy, as voices across the community call for responsible reporting and truthfulness over sensationalized headlines. Gold Medalist's efforts, aiming to safeguard their artist and maintain integrity through this tumultuous period, represent the significant challenges within the entertainment industry when personal lives become public discourse.
Going forward, Gold Medalist aims to settle outstanding narratives around Kim Sae-ron professionally, with hopes of preserving dignity for both Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress amid continued scrutiny. This incident serves as both cautionary and enlightening on the intersecting realities of stardom, accountability, and the incessant demand for sensational stories, regardless of the human cost.