Kim Soo-hyun Cleared: AI Voice Fakes, Minor Dating Allegations Dismissed by Police

South Korean police have officially confirmed that all allegations claiming actor Kim Soo-hyun dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron during her minority are groundless. Relevant voice recordings released as evidence were artificially manipulated using AI, South Korean media outlet JoongAng Ilbo reported today.

Prosecutors have filed an arrest warrant against Kim Se-ui, head of Garo Sero Research Institute, who is accused of defaming Kim Soo-hyun by spreading fabricated rumors for profits from YouTube content.

The controversial scandal began in March 2025, when the South Korean self‑media outlet Garo Sero Research Institute released explosive but unsubstantiated claims. The outlet alleged that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron starting in 2015, when she was 15 years old, with the relationship lasting for six years.

It also claimed that Kim Soo-hyun had pursued the repayment of a 700 million won (US$464,800) debt from Kim Sae-ron during her lifetime, purportedly triggering her mental collapse and ultimately leading to her suicide.

According to the warrant application submitted by Seoul Gangnam Police Station, Kim Se-ui was fully aware that there was never any romantic relationship between the two stars when Kim Sae-ron was underage, yet he deliberately released false information to ruin Kim Soo-hyun's public image.

Police investigations verified that the KakaoTalk chat logs Kim Se-ui unveiled last year as dating proof were heavily edited. He altered seven key details, including changing the chat partner's name into Kim Soo-hyun's to forge fake conversation records. Apart from doctored texts, the audio clips supposedly recorded by Kim Sae-ron were proven to be AI-generated.

Kim Se-ui once held a press conference, playing the counterfeit audios and spreading outrageous lies. He alleged Kim Soo-hyun's side tried to bribe insiders with 4 billion won to seize the recordings and even plotted to harm the whistleblower, all of which have been ruled completely untrue.

Besides Kim Se-ui, the legal representative of Kim Sae-ron's bereaved family has also been placed under official investigation on suspicion of being an accomplice. Authorities pointed out the lawyer supplied false materials and helped spread and amplify malicious rumors in a premeditated way.

The massive public defamation has dealt a severe blow to Kim Soo-hyun's career and daily life. Many brands terminated cooperation contracts with him, and he has faced numerous compensation lawsuits with a total claim value reaching about 17.4 billion won. The actor has been receiving regular psychiatric treatment due to long-term mental stress, according to the report.

Police listed sufficient reasons for the arrest warrant application, including high risk of flight, possibility of evidence destruction and collusion among suspects. Up to now, the late actress's last-used mobile phone has still not been handed over for investigation.

Nevertheless, Kim Se-ui denied all accusations and claimed the arrest warrant was a political plot to obstruct his news coverage work. He claimed he originally planned to conduct further interviews overseas.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested the arrest warrant on charges of violating South Korea's sexual violence punishment laws. The official warrant hearing is scheduled to be held on May 26 at the Seoul Central District Court.