Cultural critic Kim Gap-soo is facing backlash for saying the allegations that actor Kim Soo-hyun had a romantic relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron during her minor years were due to 'personal characteristics.'

Kim Gap-soo appeared on the YouTube channel 'Maebul Show' on the 17th in a live broadcast segment titled 'The Maebul Controversy at Noon,' where he referenced the claims from Kim Sae-ron's side that she was in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun during her minor years.

He said, "Seeing this news, the idea that someone dated a minor has caused a huge uproar, as if it were a massive crime. There can be a significant age difference in a relationship, and the woman could be older. There are many forms of relationships."

He continued, "But why is there suddenly such outrage over dating a minor? It seems like they might have dated at a young age. Since Kim Sae-ron was a child actress, she likely socialized early. She dated a man when she was 16 years old, and he was said to be 27. I probably wouldn’t have even considered her a romantic partner due to her young age since I haven't dated younger women. Isn't this a personal characteristic?"

He argued, "Countless cases of societal customs and ethics lagging behind the times raise the question of whether it is appropriate to attack an adult man for dating a minor. Why should we apply outdated or legal standards to the diverse relationships that can occur among people? Especially concerning male-female relationships, various elements have emerged throughout human history."

He added, "However, in our case, it is regrettable why there is such a closed stance on this issue as a tool to attack someone. Although I don’t know if Kim Soo-hyun lied, the efforts to deny the relationship with Kim Sae-ron seem to stem from concerns over image management. It probably isn’t a bad thing, but there might not have been the courage to fight against the prevailing perceptions in our society. I feel regret about the issue of customs."

In response, most netizens expressed shock. Comments flooded in such as, "That statement leaves me speechless," "Listening to the broadcast, I felt it crossed a level of discomfort," "The world I envision is one where middle school students are not viewed as sexual objects by adults," "It seems Kim Sae-ron socialized early," "Excuse me, dating a minor is a crime," "Regardless of the validity of the incident, this is an unprecedented shocking statement."

'Maebul Show' deleted the video containing Kim Gap-soo's comments.

Earlier, the family of the late Kim Sae-ron claimed through the 'Garoseoro Research Institute' (hereinafter 'Gaseyeon') that Kim Sae-ron had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun for six years since she was 15 years old, releasing intimate photos, causing a stir. In response, Kim Soo-hyun's side stated that the two dated only after Kim Sae-ron became an adult. However, controversy over the timing of their relationship continues.

[Photo] OSEN DB, video capture

[OSEN]