Ex-Boyfriend of Late Kim Sae-ron: 'Her Death Had Nothing to Do with Kim Soo-hyun'

As the death of actress Kim Sae-ron continues to generate intense public debate, a former boyfriend has stepped forward, stating that actor Kim Soo-hyun should not be blamed for her passing. His account contrasts sharply with recent allegations from the actress's family and widespread speculation online.

"There are too many facts that have been distorted," the former boyfriend, identified only as Mr. K, told local media outlet The Fact. "Sae-ron wouldn't want the reasons behind her death to be twisted. I'm speaking up to bring some truth to light, for her sake."

Mr. K, who had remained in close contact with Kim until shortly before her death, said the late actress had suffered emotional distress primarily due to an allegedly abusive relationship with a man she reportedly married in the United States earlier this year. He claimed that Kim had lost hope in life after being verbally and physically abused by her husband.

In a message dated January 13, the man allegedly wrote to Kim, "Now that you're married, don't ever contact anyone else. Deal with your mess on your own," followed by profane and demeaning language.

According to Mr. K, Kim confided in him that the abuse had become overwhelming, and she struggled with multiple self-harm attempts. "The real cause of her distress wasn't the 700 million won debt or her past relationship with Kim Soo-hyun," he said. "The debt issue was a formal request from her previous agency over a year ago, and she never felt burdened by it."

Mr. K said that on January 15, Kim sent him a message saying, "I'm sorry. Just curse at me. Call me crazy. I keep getting cursed at and hit, and nothing's changing." She also wrote, "If you can be happy, I won't wish for anything else. I loved you more than anyone else in the world."

She reportedly explained the circumstances surrounding her marriage, saying, "I started seeing him in November. I was feeling very alone, and he seemed like someone who could support me emotionally. But that didn't last. He started leaking my photos, hacking my social media, hitting me, yelling at me. I was too scared to break up with him."

Mr. K added that Kim felt deeply abandoned by her family. He recounted a 2023 incident when Kim severed a ligament in her wrist after self-harming and required emergency surgery. "I stayed with her the whole time at the hospital, but none of her family came," he said. "When I brought her home, her mother was casually having lunch with a friend. She didn't seem surprised or concerned."

Kim reportedly expressed feelings of despair during that period, telling Mr. K, "Even after cutting my wrists or trying to hang myself, I couldn't die. I just kept getting scars. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you."

He said he believes the narrative that Kim took her own life due to pressure related to her past relationship with Kim Soo-hyun is misleading. "This so-called aunt who suddenly appeared after her death and claimed Kim Soo-hyun drove her to suicide is distorting the truth," Mr. K said. "Her biological parents have also remained silent-possibly because they, too, were people Kim wanted to escape from."

Mr. K added, "How could no one in her family know she was married? Doesn't that prove how little communication they had with her? It makes no sense to dig up a relationship with a famous actor from years ago now, unless there's another motive behind it."

To support his account, Mr. K submitted a notarized affidavit including his name, national ID number, and fingerprints. He also described in detail Kim's emergency room visit following a self-harm incident and recorded phone calls to document her situation.

One such recording, shared with the media, included Kim's plea to a friend: "My arm's ligaments and tendons are torn. I need surgery, and it's not covered by insurance. I need about five million won."

Her decision not to contact family, even in a medical emergency, and to instead turn to friends underscores her isolation in her final months.

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