Kim Soo-hyun Denies Underage Dating Rumors

The police investigation into allegations that actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron dated when they were minors has concluded that the allegations are false. The case has reached a significant turning point after about 1 year and 2 months, as prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, CEO of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (GSI). Police believe Kim Se-ui spread false information with the intent to defame Kim Soo-hyun, knowing that Kim Soo-hyun did not date the late Kim Sae-ron during their minor years.

Police determined that there were signs of manipulation in the KakaoTalk conversation logs presented by Kim Se-ui and the voice recordings released by Kim Sae-ron's family. Specifically, seven parts of the KakaoTalk conversation were edited, including changing the other person's name to 'Kim Soo-hyun,' and the voice recordings are suspected of being manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI). Kim Soo-hyun's side had previously filed a lawsuit against CEO Kim for defamation, raising the possibility of voice manipulation.

Kim Se-ui denies the charges, stating through his YouTube broadcast that the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant is an attempt to obstruct his reporting activities. Police have also booked the family's lawyer, along with Kim Se-ui, suspecting their involvement in the dissemination of false information.

This controversy has had a significant impact on the entertainment industry as a whole. Following the spread of the allegations, Kim Soo-hyun faced a lawsuit for damages from advertisers and his activities were affected, with the release of the planned Disney+ drama 'Knock Off' being indefinitely postponed. Kim Soo-hyun's side has consistently maintained the position that "while there was a relationship with Kim Sae-ron, it was not during their minor years."

The request for an arrest warrant for CEO Kim Se-ui could be a significant turning point for Kim Soo-hyun's side. If the court issues the warrant and the core charges are acknowledged during the investigation and trial, Kim Soo-hyun's culpability could be significantly diluted. This could also affect the damages lawsuits with advertisers.