Actor Kim Sae-ron, who left the world at the age of 25, has reportedly changed their name and is preparing to open a café and return to the entertainment industry following a drunk driving incident.
A friend of Kim Sae-ron noted on the 16th to Hong Kyung Dot Com, "After that incident (the drunk driving crash), Kim Sae-ron changed their name to Kim A-im," and added, "They submitted a job application under the name Kim A-im and worked at a café after interviewing there."
"Initially, nobody recognized them (because they wore glasses and had a different name), but once photos were taken and the fact that it was Kim Sae-ron became known through online communities, they received a termination notice," the friend said. "They applied to the café hoping to make ends meet, but after this happened repeatedly, they were quite troubled."
"They did not give up on their dream of returning as an actor," the friend mentioned. "It's not easy to align shooting schedules while working part-time, so they had mentioned wanting to open a café nearby with some friends and even thought about moving closer to that area in Mapo District, Seoul."
Another associate of Kim Sae-ron told News1 on that day, "I met with Kim Sae-ron around mid-December last year, and we talked about their return," adding, "They finished shooting the movie 'Guitar Man' in early November last year and were continuously discussing how to continue their activities after that."
Kim Sae-ron was found dead at their home in Seongdong District, Seoul, around 4:54 p.m. the previous day.
A friend who had an appointment to meet with Kim was the one who discovered them at home and reported it to the police. There were no signs of forced entry or any indications of a crime.
According to the police, no suicide note was found. An official from the Korean National Police Agency stated during a press briefing held at the police agency in Seodaemun District on the 17th, "We believe they made an extreme choice," and added, "We plan to handle this as a case of sudden death."
"No note has been discovered," they continued, "and there are no particular developments in the investigation."
Kim Sae-ron was fined 20 million won by the court for fleeing after hitting a guard rail and transformer while driving under the influence in May 2022.
Afterward, Kim Sae-ron had taken a break from acting for three years. They attempted to resume activities in theater in April last year, but stepped down due to health reasons after their comeback became a topic of controversy.
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