SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Korean Actor Kim Soo-hyun's management agency, Gold Medalist, said Wednesday that the arrest of the head of a controversial YouTube channel marked a turning point in the actor's yearlong effort to counter allegations linking him to the death of late Korean actress Kim Sae-ron.
The agency said in a statement that it was grateful to investigators for their efforts to uncover the truth based on objective evidence, adding that the case had now entered a stage in which the facts could be verified through legal procedures and a thorough investigation.
"Kim Soo-hyun said at a press conference a year ago, 'I will not ask you to believe me. I will prove it,'" the agency said. " The past year has been a time spent solely to keep that promise."
Kim Se-ui, head of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, was arrested Tuesday after the Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant, citing concerns that he could destroy evidence or flee.
Garosero Research Institute, often referred to as Gaseyeon in Korea, is a YouTube-based outlet known for publishing allegations and commentary about celebrities, politicians and other public figures.
Kim Se-ui is accused of spreading allegedly false claims through YouTube and other online channels, including allegations that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side over debt repayment was directly linked to her death.
Kim Se-ui is also suspected of using artificial intelligence to manipulate Kim Sae-ron's voice in a way that allegedly damaged Kim Soo-hyun's reputation.
Gold Medalist said it viewed the arrest as a sign that authorities were treating the case seriously, while maintaining that the allegations and materials presented by Garosero Research Institute against Kim Soo-hyun were false. The agency also said the court had recognized the seriousness of the case, including allegations of defamation and coercion.
Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference in March last year to address the allegations. He acknowledged that he had been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron but denied that the relationship took place when she was a minor.
Kim Sae-ron, a former child actress who appeared in films and television dramas, had largely withdrawn from public view following a drunk-driving incident in 2022. Her death later triggered intense online speculation and renewed scrutiny of her private life.
Kim Soo-hyun and his agency later filed complaints against Kim Se-ui and members of Kim Sae-ron's family, accusing them of spreading false information and damaging his reputation.
The arrest does not amount to a conviction or a final determination of guilt, but it represents a significant procedural development in one of South Korea's most closely watched celebrity defamation cases.
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