Kim Soo Hyun Cleared In Kim Sae Ron Dating Controversy; Police Say Evidence Against Queen Of Tears Actor Was AI-Manipulated

Queen of Tears actor Kim Soo Hyun has once again surfaced in the headlines. The actor has reportedly been cleared by the police of allegations claiming that he dated late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. According to documents obtained by local media, the evidence presented against Soo Hyun was allegedly altered and reportedly generated using AI.

Kim Soo Hyun’s case concluded with the Seoul Gangnam Police Station stating that the suspect had "knowingly spread false information" about the actor for "financial motives." As reported by the BBC, the YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, allegedly "manipulated screenshots" and shared an audio file that was reportedly created using AI.

The police are now reportedly seeking the suspect’s arrest. Authorities further stated that the suspect was aware that Soo Hyun had not dated Sae Ron when she was a minor, yet still circulated the alleged false evidence to damage his reputation. Reports claim that Kim Se-ui received 11 screenshots from Sae Ron’s family, out of which seven images were allegedly altered by the channel.

The recording featuring Sae Ron’s voice, which was released in May 2025, led many to believe that Soo Hyun had dated her when she was underage. However, as per Asian News Network, Kim Se-ui has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

Amid all this, the older brother of late actress Sulli, Choi, shared a message on his social media, that many believes was linked to Soo-hyun. As per The Chosun, he wrote, "The moment you crawl out again, it’s round two. The choice is yours." When someone asked him the comment section "Who did this?" Choi replied, "There’s someone from the stars over there."

The controversy surrounding Kim Soo Hyun and late actress Kim Sae Ron began in March 2025 after YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, also known as HoverLab, alleged that the two were involved in a six-year relationship that reportedly started when Sae Ron was still a minor. The allegations surfaced shortly after Kim Sae Ron’s death and included leaked photos, screenshots, and an alleged audio recording claiming that the actor dated her during her teenage years. Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, strongly denied the accusations, stating that the actor only dated Sae Ron when she was legally an adult and accusing the channel of spreading manipulated and AI-generated evidence. The actor later filed legal complaints against those involved in circulating the allegations.