A major controversy has erupted in South Korea involving claims about a recording allegedly made by the late actress Kim Sae-ron before her death. On May 7, at 1:00 p.m. HKT, Kim Sae-ron's family held an emergency press conference through the organization "가로세로연구소 (Garosero Institute)," where they released a recording purportedly made by Kim Sae-ron one month before her passing. The recording accuses actor Kim Soo-hyun of committing lewd acts, sexual harassment, or abuse starting during her middle school winter vacation.
This comes after Kim Soo-hyun, accused of having a relationship with Kim Sae-ron during her teenage years, held a press conference on March 31 to deny the allegations and announced plans to take legal action against both the "Garosero Institute" and Kim Sae-ron's family.
Adding to the complexity, the whistleblower who provided the recording claimed that on May 1 (KST), she was attacked in the US by two unidentified men allegedly from South Korea and China. The attackers reportedly stabbed the whistleblower in the neck nine times.
In response, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, issued a statement later that day, strongly denying the authenticity of the recording and providing the following points of clarification:
- AI-generated forgery allegations: Gold Medalist stated that the recording was fabricated using AI and other technologies. According to the agency, the individual who provided the recording had previously contacted Gold Medalist, claiming to possess recordings favorable to Kim Soo-hyun and demanding money in exchange. The agency revealed that they were sent a sample of Kim Sae-ron's voice, but after analysis, it was determined that the audio had been synthesized and was fraudulent. The Gold Medalist did not comply with the individual's demands and is currently conducting technical evaluations. The agency promised to release the results of the analysis once available.
- Claims of attack and fabricated evidence: The press conference also alleged that the whistleblower was attacked under the direction of Gold Medalist, presenting "attack photos" as evidence. Gold Medalist dismissed these claims as baseless and irrational, asserting that the provided photos are readily searchable online and were not authentic.
- Legal measures against false information: Gold Medalist accused the press conference organizers of orchestrating a new smear campaign against Kim Soo-hyun, motivated by their involvement in spreading false information, stalking, cybercrimes, and fabricating evidence.
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