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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gold Medalist, the agency representing actor Kim Soo Hyun, has officially addressed the debt issues involving the late Kim Sae Ron, which had dragged Kim Soo Hyun’s name into the controversy.
On Thursday, March 14, 2025, a representative from the agency confirmed that Kim Soo Hyun was not involved in his ex-girlfriend’s financial troubles.
Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron were in a relationship from the summer of 2019, after Kim Sae Ron became a legal adult, until the fall of 2020. It is not true that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor," as stated in their announcement, as quoted by Soompi.
However, Gold Medalist denied the allegations that Kim Soo Hyun or his agency forced Kim Sae Ron to repay a debt of 700 million won (around Rp7.8 billion).
As evidence, the agency also attached documents.
Chronology of Debt and Gold Medalist's Disputes
In their statement, Gold Medalist explained that at the beginning of 2024, they had to determine how to handle the claim against Kim Sae Ron after a financial audit.
As reported by Koreaboo, the agency stated that the debt removal without collection efforts could be considered as an unauthorized financial abandonment and could present a risk to the company's executives.
They then sent an official notice to the actress, not as an act of coercion, but as a legal procedure to record the debt status.
"To establish this, the agency sent a formal notice to her. This was not an attempt to pressure her for repayment but a procedural step to confirm that the debt was officially being written off," they wrote.
Gold Medalist also clarified that the text messages sent by Kim Sae Ron to Kim Soo Hyun on March 19, 2024, should be understood in this context. They emphasized that this financial issue is purely between the agency and Kim Sae Ron.
"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," the statement wrote.
Kim Soo Hyun Advised Not to Respond to Messages
Gold Medalist also explained that Kim Sae Ron had already left the agency when she contacted Kim Soo Hyun. According to Koreaboo, the agency suggested that the actor should not respond to the message.
"The agency advised him that since she might not have had full legal understanding of the issue, he should avoid responding without expert consultation. The agency reassured him that they would handle the matter professionally to prevent misunderstandings," they stated.
The agency also revealed that on March 26, 2024, Kim Sae Ron's lawyer expressed appreciation for the agency's support. They acknowledged Kim Sae Ron's obligation to settle the incurred losses and proposed a discussion regarding the exact amount to be paid and the payment plan.
Following the negotiations, the financial dispute between the agency and Kim Sae Ron was deemed resolved. Gold Medalist clarified that after settling the debt, they did not pursue it any further and also forgave the interest and late payment penalties.
"From her perspective, it is likely that she believed she was completely freed from her financial obligations to Gold Medalist. Therefore, linking her passing, which occurred a year later, to this financial matter is an extreme and unfounded speculation."
Kim Sae Ron passed away on February 16, 2025, which coincided with Kim Soo Hyun's 37th birthday.
Denial of Extortion Allegations
Earlier, in an interview aired on the Garosero Research Institute's YouTube channel on March 10, 2025, Kim Sae Ron's aunt accused Gold Medalist of attempting to extort her family for billions of won.
She alleged that the company, founded by Kim Soo Hyun and his cousin, had initially demanded that Kim Sae Ron pay a 20 billion won (approximately 224 billion Rupiah) fine related to the driving under influence (DUI) case she was involved in on May 18, 2022.
Kim Sae Ron's aunt also mentioned that the agency offered assistance to expedite the legal process, but later demanded a substantial compensation.
She alleged that after her family questioned the basis of the cost calculation, the agency eventually paid 700 million won in compensation to the accident victim, but then demanded Kim Sae Ron to refund the amount.
Her aunt claimed that in 2024, Kim Sae Ron unexpectedly received a certified letter demanding repayment of 700 million won. Shocked, Kim Sae Ron attempted to contact Kim Soo Hyun through various methods, including texting him from her cousin's number, but the actor never replied.
Even after trying to contact him through his cousin's phone number, she was still unable to get in touch with the actor. The situation escalated when Korean media began reaching out to Kim Soo Hyun's cousin for comment.
Kim Sae Ron's aunt stated that her late niece felt betrayed upon discovering that Kim Soo Hyun had allegedly shared her family's phone number with journalists.
In response, Gold Medalist denied the extortion allegations, calling them a distortion of the facts. "To falsely portray this as the cause of her passing a year later is deeply distressing and malicious.”
The agency emphasized that they had made every effort to support Kim Sae Ron, including relieving her of the debt and ensuring she was not liable for gift taxes.
"Gold Medalist made every effort to support her, even foregoing repayment while ensuring she would not incur additional tax liabilities. The agency also set the interest and late fees on the debt at 0%," the statement wrote.
KOREABOO | SOOMPI | YOUTUBE
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