What did police find about the 2016 messages?

According to a report by Dispatch on October 13, police forensically examined several phones of the late actress Kim Sae-ron and reviewed her saved KakaoTalk screenshots. Police reportedly confirmed the real name of an entertainer identified only as A from the original conversation. The report said A's spelling and spacing were consistently correct, while Kim Soo-hyun's messages often were not, pointing to clearly different writing styles.

How did the controversy start?

The dispute began in March of last year, when Kim Se-ui, head of the YouTube channel Gaseyeon Research Institute, claimed that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron for six years and that her death was linked to pressure over debt repayment. His main evidence was a 2016 messenger exchange in which the sender said "I miss you" and "I want to hug you." Kim Soo-hyun denied the messages were authentic, said they had been manipulated, and said the two had only dated after Kim Sae-ron became an adult in 2019.

What did the investigation conclude?

Police said Kim Se-ui received 11 screenshots of the 2016 chats from the bereaved family, in which the counterpart was listed as unknown. They concluded the files had been edited at seven points, including changing the name to Kim Soo-hyun and adding a profile photo. A Gaseyeon employee told police the name change was made on Kim Se-ui's instruction. Police also judged a voice file released in May of last year to be AI-manipulated, and found the claim that Kim Soo-hyun's side tried to kill a whistleblower to be false.

What are the charges now?

Kim Se-ui is in court after being indicted while detained. The charges include defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, and violation of the Anti-Stalking Act. In the arrest warrant request, police said he spread highly provocative content over a long period and caused Kim Soo-hyun serious and hard-to-repair damage to his image. A legal representative for the bereaved family was also booked for allegedly taking an active part in delivering materials and holding press conferences.

For international fans

Kim Soo-hyun is a well-known South Korean actor, and this case drew wide attention in Korea for its effect on his career and public image. Fans outside Korea should note that the findings so far come from police investigation reports as described in media coverage, and that the court process for those indicted is still ongoing.