Actor Kim Soo-hyun's side said it is reviewing a plan to expand the damages suit filed against the detained Kim Se-eui from the existing 12 billion won to the 30 billion won range.
Go Sang-rok, an attorney at Phil Law Firm and legal representative for Kim Soo-hyun, said in an interview with MBC "News Today" on the 28th, "We filed a complaint seeking 12 billion won based on an estimated loss calculated right after the incident last year, but the actual economic loss confirmed so far is far greater," adding, "If necessary, we are also considering increasing the amount sought and adjusting the scope of defendants."
Go said, "Based on the victim materials submitted to the investigative agency, we see that a loss of about 30 billion won has occurred."
Earlier, on the 26th, the Seoul Central District Court conducted a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (substantive warrant review) for CEO Kim Se-eui and issued an arrest warrant, citing concerns about destruction of evidence and flight.
Kim is suspected of spreading via YouTube and other platforms claims that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side to repay debt was behind Kim Sae-ron's death. He is also suspected of using artificial intelligence (AI) to manipulate Kim Sae-ron's voice and of producing and distributing false materials, defaming Kim Soo-hyun.
As the controversy spread, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency were hit by a series of lawsuits from advertisers seeking model fee refunds and damages.
In response, in Mar. last year, Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference where he acknowledged dating Kim Sae-ron but denied the allegation of a relationship when she was a minor. At the time, Kim Soo-hyun's side said it had filed damages suits totaling 12 billion won against Kim Sae-ron's bereaved family and operators of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute.
Kim Soo-hyun's side has also filed criminal complaints against CEO Kim Se-eui and Kim Sae-ron's bereaved family, including on charges of defamation by spreading false information.
Regarding CEO Kim Se-eui's notice that he would file a complaint for "law distortion," attorney Go countered, "It is not a matter to be discussed at this stage."
He explained, "Law distortion is a concept that becomes an issue only in extremely exceptional situations where an investigative agency or a court intentionally twists the law to benefit a particular person," adding, "In this case, an arrest warrant was sought after more than a year of investigation, and the court issued the warrant after hours of questioning and reviewing the records."
On the essence of the case, Go said, "It is the so-called 'cyber tow truck' problem of amplifying and reproducing provocative issues for views and revenue," adding, "It goes beyond spreading unverified suspicions to an unprecedented case where core materials such as KakaoTalk messages and audio were even fabricated."
He continued, "I believe about 3 billion people worldwide know Kim Soo-hyun's name and face," adding, "It was a planned crime that tried to distort public perception with fabricated evidence and damage the actor's honor and life."