Kim Se Eui's Gangnam Apartment assets frozen as Kim Soo Hyun may seek up to 30 billion KRW (about 21.4 million USD) in damages

Kim Se Eui, head of the controversial YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, has been detained on charges of spreading false information, including allegations that the late actress Kim Sae Ron's death was caused by financial pressure and debt collection efforts from actor Kim Soo Hyun.

Following Kim's detention, Kim Soo Hyun's legal team has stepped up its legal response, signaling that it may significantly increase its damages claim against the YouTuber.

In an interview with MBC News Today on May 28, attorney Kho Sang Rock, legal counsel for Kim Soo Hyun, said the actor's actual damages have grown substantially since the allegations first surfaced.

"The scale of the damage we have reassessed at this point is far greater than it was a year ago," Kho said. "When the incident first occurred, we estimated the lawsuit value at approximately 12 billion KRW (about 8.6 million USD) and filed the complaint accordingly. However, we are currently reassessing the damages and may increase the amount of the claim if necessary."

He added, "The exact amount of damage still needs to be carefully calculated, but based on the materials submitted to investigative authorities, we believe the losses currently stand at around 30 billion KRW (about 21.4 million USD)."

Previously, Kim Soo Hyun's legal team obtained provisional asset seizures on two apartments owned by Kim Se Eui. The properties include a unit in Seocho Byucksan Blooming in Seoul's Seocho District and another in Hanyang Apartment Complex Phase 4 in the upscale Apgujeong neighborhood of Gangnam.

At the time, the claims associated with the asset seizures totaled 4 billion KRW (about 2.9 million USD), with 2 billion KRW (about 1.4 million USD) attached to each property.

Kim Soo Hyun has reportedly faced damages claims worth approximately 10 billion KRW (about 7.1 million USD) from advertisers, including Classys, FromBIO, Cuckoo Electronics, and Trendmaker, after Kim Se Eui raised allegations against the actor last year. However, police investigations later concluded that the allegations were false, increasing the likelihood that Kim Se Eui could ultimately bear responsibility for those losses.

Under Article 750 of South Korea's Civil Act, "a person who causes damage to another through an unlawful act committed intentionally or negligently shall be liable for compensation."

Legal experts also note that even if Kim Se Eui were to file for bankruptcy, the debt may not be discharged. Article 566(3) of South Korea's Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act classifies damages arising from intentional unlawful acts as non-dischargeable claims, meaning the obligation to pay remains even after bankruptcy proceedings.

With Kim Se Eui now in custody and Kim Soo Hyun's legal team considering a damages claim of up to 30 billion KRW (about 21.4 million USD), attention is turning to how the detained YouTuber will respond to the mounting legal and financial pressure.