The family of the late Kim Sae-ron revealed evidence that the deceased had been in a relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun since she was a minor. Kim Soo-hyun's side, which has been firmly refuting related claims, is once again under scrutiny.

On the 27th, the legal representative of the late Kim Sae-ron's family from Law Firm Buyou, lawyer Bu Ji-seok, held a press conference at the Space Share Gangnam Station Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, representing the family, where he disclosed proof that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron since she was a minor. He also held a press conference regarding the legal actions against the indiscriminate dissemination of false information targeting the family.

Lawyer Bu Ji-seok noted, "Recently, the personal life of the late Kim Sae-ron has been indiscriminately uncovered, and as a result, the family has faced baseless speculations and accusations, leading them to severe anxiety and psychological and physical distress," emphasizing that this event is not about revealing the reasons behind the late Kim Sae-ron's decision to end her life.

Previously, the family of the late Kim Sae-ron claimed that she had been in a relationship with Kim Soo-hyun for six years starting at the age of 15. In particular, the Garosero Research Institute, with the family's permission, released photos presumed to have been taken during the time the deceased was dating Kim Soo-hyun. While Kim Soo-hyun's side denied the relationship when photos presumed to be from the 'Love Instagram' were released last year, they later claimed that while the relationship was true, it only lasted for a year after the deceased became an adult, not during her minor years.

Amid growing allegations of a relationship with a minor and so-called 'grooming' suspicions, both the family and Kim Soo-hyun's sides continued to expose and refute each other. Eventually, the family secured mobile messages exchanged between the two through forensic analysis, presenting them as evidence. The photos released showed that the late Kim Sae-ron, who was 17 years old in 2016, contained content suggesting they were more than just friends.

The family also claimed that after receiving a certificate of contents from Kim Soo-hyun's side, the late Kim Sae-ron repeatedly tried to take her own life due to extreme anxiety. The family stated, "Falsehoods suggesting that money was the motive are being irresponsibly circulated along with false claims that the relationship between the mother and the late Kim Sae-ron was poor."

The late Kim Sae-ron's side stated, "The reason the family had no choice but to inform about the relationship with Kim Soo-hyun since the late Kim Sae-ron was a minor was to file a lawsuit against YouTuber A, who spread false information and mocked Kim Sae-ron, ultimately leading to her death. However, the initial response was that they had never dated, and after evidence of the relationship was released, they made another false claim that they only dated after she became an adult, without any apology. Furthermore, we cannot understand why YouTuber A and others involved in this incident irresponsibly exposed the personal life of the late Kim Sae-ron and spread false information."

They added, "The family hopes to put an end to the controversy by presenting evidence materials. I want to be clear that this event is not for revealing why the late Kim Sae-ron took her own life, and after today's press conference, the family does not wish to engage in any more meaningless disputes over the truth."

Despite the family's claims, Kim Soo-hyun's side maintained that they were indeed in a relationship, but it was only for a year after the late Kim Sae-ron became an adult. Particularly as revelations continued, actions were taken against the Garosero Research Institute, the family of the late Kim Sae-ron, and unidentified individuals claiming to be relatives of the deceased for violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (distribution of materials filmed using cameras, etc.).

Meanwhile, YouTuber A, who produced and released videos that are pointed to as the background of the deceased’s death, claimed that the late Kim Sae-ron had married in the United States prior to her death and had undergone an abortion. They faced criticism for excessive invasion of privacy, defamation, and obscuring issues by releasing recorded conversations with some acquaintances.

The deceased Kim Sae-ron is silent, and the truth battle continues among the remaining family, Kim Soo-hyun, and YouTuber A. As the family released the messages and photos secured through forensic analysis, the ball is now in Kim Soo-hyun's court. What kind of response will Kim Soo-hyun provide?

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