The tragic narrative surrounding the late Kim Sae-ron has entered a volatile new chapter on the first anniversary of her passing.
As reported by Koreaboo and multiple Korean news outlets, a fierce “legal war” has erupted between the controversial YouTube channel HoverLab (Garo Sero Institute) and Gold Medalist, the agency representing Kim Soo-hyun.
At the heart of this latest dispute are explosive new allegations regarding a 700 million won (approx. $480,000) penalty fee that HoverLab claims was a primary factor in the actress’s emotional distress.
The 700 Million Won “Financial Pressure” Allegation
The core of HoverLab’s latest report centers on a series of certified legal notices sent to Kim Sae-ron by Gold Medalist before her death.
HoverLab alleges that the agency and Kim Soo-hyun “portrayed her as a villain” and pressured her to repay a staggering debt incurred from her 2022 DUI accident.
To support this, HoverLab released a screenshot of a desperate text message allegedly sent by Sae-ron to Kim Soo-hyun, which read:
“Please save me… if they ask me for 700 million won right away, I really can’t do it.”
HoverLab’s operator, Kim Se-eui, claims that this financial burden was intentionally weaponized to distance the agency from the scandal-ridden actress, effectively “abandoning” her while she was at her lowest.
The channel further alleged that Gold Medalist even “confiscated” Sae-ron’s damaged vehicle to cover the costs- a claim the agency has since vehemently denied as a fabrication intended to incite public outrage.
Gold Medalist’s Defense: “Routine Accounting, Not Harassment”
Gold Medalist quickly fired back with a detailed rebuttal, clarifying that the total penalty from Sae-ron’s DUI was actually closer to 1.14 billion won.
The agency asserted that they worked alongside the actress to reduce this burden, eventually settling on the 700 million won figure. In an official statement, the agency clarified the nature of the legal notices:
“The certified notice was not an attempt to pressure her, but a necessary step to comply with legal and accounting regulations.”
The agency explained that if they had simply “erased” the debt without formal documentation, executives could have faced charges of “breach of trust,” and the company would have been unable to recognize the loss as a deductible business expense.
Furthermore, they stated:
“Gold Medalist indemnified her debt amount in December of 2023,” essentially waiving the repayment entirely before her passing.
They characterized HoverLab’s narrative as a malicious distortion, stating that linking a year-old financial settlement to her cause of death is “difficult to accept” and lacks context.
The Escalating Legal Retaliation and “AI” Counter-Claims
The conflict has moved beyond the court of public opinion and into the judiciary. Gold Medalist has filed a massive 12 billion won ($8.4 million) civil lawsuit against HoverLab and Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family for defamation and stalking.
A significant new development in this legal battle is the agency’s claim that HoverLab used “forged recordings” and “AI deep voice technology” to create a false audio clip of the late actress.
The agency’s legal counsel, Attorney Go Sang-rok, has been active on various platforms, emphasizing that “Kim Soo-hyun was never personally involved” in Sae-ron’s financial issues and had not been in contact with her for four years prior to the recent scandal.
Meanwhile, the family has counter-sued for violations of the Child Welfare Act, maintaining that the relationship began when Sae-ron was a minor.
As the two sides prepare for the next court hearing- scheduled for early 2026- the public remains torn between mourning a lost talent and navigating a “labyrinth of truth and fabrication.”
