Kim Sae Ron's mother defends "aunt," saying she is someone who is closer than a blood relative

YouTuber Lee Jin Ho has announced legal action against an individual who claimed to be the late Kim Sae Ron’s aunt, and Kim Sae Ron’s family has issued a new statement.

On March 21, the YouTube channel HOVERLAB (Garo Sero Research Institute) relayed the statement from Kim Sae Ron’s family during a live broadcast.

In her statement, Kim Sae Ron’s mother mentioned Lee Jin Ho’s intent to sue Kim Sae Ron's "fake aunt," saying, “We do not have such a person in our family. That person is simply Sae Ron’s aunt. If such a person existed, we should be the ones suing, not you. I don’t understand why you are doing this.”

She continued, “Do you think that by constantly diverting the issue, the public will forget what you’ve done? Whether she is a real or fake aunt, why does that even matter?” She explained their relationship by saying, “We met when Sae Ron was about six years old and working as a child actress. As a fellow mother of a child actor, we helped each other, alternating between housework and managerial duties. Over nearly 20 years, my children and I have considered her like a real aunt and relied on her.”

Kim Sae Ron’s mother emphasized her bond with the aunt, stating, “Whenever I was sick, she would drop everything and rush to me. When I was struggling, she stayed up all night to listen. Sometimes we argued when we had disagreements, but she was like a friend and older sister to my children, listening to things they couldn’t tell me. She even took care of their meals in my place. Isn’t that what family is?” She then questioned, “What more does she need to do to be considered a real aunt? Are there other conditions to qualify as one?”

She further stated, “For the past three years, while someone deliberately spread false articles and organized malicious comments, the only people who stayed by Sae Ron’s side were family and this aunt. From the day Sae Ron passed away until now, she has put everything on hold and stayed by my side for over a month. If she isn’t an aunt, then who is?” She asserted, “The so-called ‘fake aunt’ that Lee Jin Ho is talking about is someone we consider just like a biological aunt. She has been entrusted with all external communication on behalf of our family.”

At the end of her statement, Kim Sae Ron’s mother directly addressed Lee Jin Ho, saying, “Is it so difficult for you to apologize? Did I ask you for something so unreasonable? Stop distorting the truth. Don’t you realize that what you’re doing is not about truth but your desperate attempt to cling to relevance at any cost?”

Since Kim Sae Ron’s passing, her family has been embroiled in a dispute with HOVERLAB over allegations concerning her past relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun as a minor and claims about her being pressured to repay 700 million KRW (approx. 530,000 USD). On March 17, the family filed a defamation lawsuit against Lee Jin Ho for spreading false information, stating that Kim Sae Ron had suffered extreme psychological distress due to his videos. Lee Jin Ho had repeatedly posted videos about her on his YouTube channel, but he made them private after her passing.

On March 19, Lee Jin Ho claimed to reveal “facts the family is hiding,” alleging that Kim Sae Ron had been married to a man she met in the U.S., had become pregnant, and had an abortion. However, her family responded by saying they did not know about such events. HOVERLAB, representing the family, stated, “The bereaved family said, ‘We have never heard of Sae-ron getting married and had no idea.’ They wept uncontrollably, asking, ‘Do you have to desecrate our daughter like this?’”

Lee Jin Ho, however, continues his claims, alleging that the person most actively spreading falsehoods about him is none other than Kim Sae Ron’s “fake aunt.” He has also hinted at further revelations, suggesting that her husband played a role in her death.