"Have we forgotten about Lee Sun Gyun?" Journalist raises concerns over the media frenzy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun

A journalist from OSEN has raised concerns regarding the recent media frenzy surrounding actor Kim Soo Hyun. The article expressed that the current "issue-making" movement against Kim Soo Hyun has been a constant issue in the Korean entertainment industry with many celebrity victims, including the late Kim Sae Ron and Lee Sun Gyun. The following is a translation of the OSEN article.

The YouTube channel HOVERLAB (Garo Sero Research Institute) has been relentlessly exposing allegations against actor Kim Soo Hyun in connection to the late Kim Sae Ron’s passing. With growing negative public sentiment, concerns have been raised as Kim Soo Hyun is reportedly experiencing severe anxiety.

Since March 10, HOVERLAB has been publishing claims based on alleged reports from Kim Sae Ron’s family, asserting that the late actress was in a six-year relationship with Kim Soo Hyun, starting when she was a minor at 15 years old. 

The channel has been continuously releasing past photos of the two, further fueling public controversy. They have also indiscriminately shared private images, including one showing them kissing, which has sent shockwaves across the internet. 

Additionally, they have threatened to release more images by March 14, intensifying the scrutiny on both Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron’s names. The channel even stated its intent to file a defamation lawsuit against Kim Soo Hyun.

However, the issue lies in the fact that HOVERLAB is widely regarded as a cyber wrecker channel, which is a term used to describe content creators who exploit negative scandals for financial gain, similar to tow trucks rushing to accident scenes for business.

The channel has been soliciting donations under the pretense of "helping Kim Sae Ron and her family," even providing direct bank account details for financial contributions. On a broadcast aired on the evening of March 14, they openly declared their goal of reaching one million subscribers.

Numerous celebrities have fallen victim to these cyber wrecker channels in the past, including Jang Won Young of IVE, NewJeans, and YouTuber Tzuyang. Notably, actor Lee Sun Gyun took his own life last year after facing relentless online harassment stemming from such channels. Sensationalist reporting, disguised as the public’s "right to know," often fuels malicious comments and amplifies controversies, perpetuating a cycle of media exploitation. This unethical practice continues to be a serious moral issue.

Now, Kim Soo Hyun is experiencing a similar fallout, with the controversy already impacting his commercial endorsements and upcoming projects. The variety show 'Good Day' is also under scrutiny. As he becomes the target of a media frenzy, concerns for his safety have been raised. Even a person claiming to be Kim Sae Ron’s mother, whom HOVERLAB has referenced, expressed fears that "Kim Soo Hyun might be pushed to an extreme decision (of taking his own life)."

Despite these concerns, HOVERLAB continues to escalate the issue, stating, "We won’t release the ‘washing dishes photo’ today because we feel sorry for him," while also warning that they are "currently persuading the family" and that "if they agree, we will release a video." This ongoing media campaign has resulted in the late actress’s name being repeatedly circulated online.

On March 14, the channel released a lengthy statement supposedly from Kim Sae Ron’s mother. Even in her statement, she mainly voiced concerns over false reports and the damaging effects of Cyber Wrecker channels rather than focusing on Kim Soo Hyun. It also called for systemic legal protections against such practices. The first step toward resolving this issue, they emphasized, must come through legal action. 

Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, has announced plans for the strongest possible legal response, while HOVERLAB also claims it is prepared to face legal consequences. In a time of heightened speculation and misinformation, fact-checking has become more crucial than ever.

Later that day, Gold Medalist released an emergency statement clarifying two key points. First, they acknowledged that Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron had dated but asserted that their relationship began when Kim Sae Ron was already an adult—in the summer of 2019 and ended in the fall of 2020. Second, they addressed the issue of the 700 million KRW (approx. 520,000 USD) compensation claim against Kim Sae Ron, emphasizing that there was no intention of coercion or undue pressure.