Kim Sae Ron’s family holds press conference amid unexpected political controversy

A press conference held by Kim Sae Ron’s family regarding their legal actions against YouTuber Lee Jin Ho and actor Kim Soo Hyun took an unexpected turn when political slogans appeared at the scene.

On March 17th KST, Kim Sae Ron’s family’s legal representative, Bu Ji Seok from Bu You Law Firm, along with Kwon Young Chan, director of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association, and Kim Se Ui, CEO of Garosero Research Institute, gathered in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to address the ongoing legal disputes.

Upon arriving at the scene, Kim Se Ui was seen wearing a red headband with the slogan “Oppose Impeachment” written on it. The politically charged message raised eyebrows among attending journalists, as the event was meant to focus on Kim Sae Ron’s family’s grievances and legal claims, unrelated to any political agenda.

Some media outlets chose to blur the headband or omit images of Kim Se Ui entirely to prevent the press conference from being misinterpreted as a political event. A photographer at the scene commented, “Given the nature of the event, we decided to blur the ‘Oppose Impeachment’ slogan to avoid political misunderstandings.”

The live broadcast comment section was flooded with criticism:

• “What does Kim Sae Ron’s case have to do with opposing impeachment?”

• “Stop using the family’s pain for political messaging.”

• “This press conference should remain focused on the issue at hand.”

However, some defended Kim Se Ui, noting that he frequently wears the headband in his broadcasts and that it was not intentionally linked to Kim Sae Ron’s case.

In response, Kim Se Ui stated:

“Garosero Research Institute is primarily a political YouTube channel, and with the global attention on the Kim Soo Hyun issue, I wanted to raise awareness about South Korea’s current situation. I apologize if this caused discomfort to media outlets with different views, but I will continue to wear the headband in future broadcasts.”