Divided reactions as Kim Soo Hyun denies claims involving late Kim Sae Ron

Actor Kim Soo Hyun has strongly refuted allegations of an underage relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron by releasing handwritten letters he wrote to his actual girlfriend during his military service. Public reaction, however, has been divided.

On September 30th KST, attorney Ko Sang Rok of Phil Law Firm, representing Kim, stated, “The actor had a real girlfriend from 2016 until the spring of 2019,” and disclosed parts of roughly 150 diary-style letters written during his time in the military.

The revealed letters included passages such as: “To the moon, the stars, the rain, the snow, the whole forest, the wind, every scene, even this cold—every hour of my day is you,” and “I really want to write your name, but since I’m too much of a trouble-prone soldier, I can’t. I really want to write it. I love you.”

Ko explained, “After enlisting in October 2017, Kim served in a front-line DMZ reconnaissance unit from January 2018 to July 2019. Whenever he had spare time, he called his girlfriend and wrote daily entries.”

Rather than mailing the letters, Kim reportedly carried them out on leave and showed them directly to his girlfriend, who would then write replies on them.

Ko emphasized that the tone of the letters to his girlfriend contrasted sharply with those written to colleagues like Kim Sae Ron. “While serving in an isolated front-line environment at a relatively late age, Kim found comfort in his connections with fellow entertainers. He occasionally wrote to colleagues to share reflections on army life and his determination to return after discharge. The single letter sent to the late actress was part of this,” Ko said.

Addressing one note where Kim wrote “I miss you” to Kim Sae Ron, Ko explained it as “a conventional phrase commonly used by soldiers, simply reflecting the desire to go on leave.”

Entries from his military diary further expressed longing for his girlfriend. On July 30, 2018, he wrote, “Next year around this time, I will definitely travel with her. We’ll do new things we’ve never done before, everything together.” On August 3 of the same year, he wrote, “Every day I feel disheartened in the unit, but one thing is clear—I’m treating her better than before enlistment. I’m focusing only on her, wanting her, waiting for her.”

Reactions among the public have been split. Supporters commented, “With letters and diaries revealed, it’s clear Kim Soo Hyun has nothing to hide,” and “Stay strong, Kim Soo Hyun—hope you return soon.” Others questioned the explanation, with remarks such as, “He could have been double-dating,” and “A man in his 30s writing to a minor while in the army and later dating her right after she became an adult—is that really normal?”

Ko concluded, “The fact that deeply personal writings exchanged between an actor and his partner are being disclosed publicly is highly unusual and distressing, something ordinary people would not face. But we deemed it unavoidable in order to restore his honor.”

Currently, Kim Soo Hyun’s side has filed criminal complaints against YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) and its head Kim Sae Ui for alleged violations of the Anti-Stalking Act and the Information and Communications Network Act regarding defamation. The outcome of the investigation is expected to shed further light on the controversy.