On March 17, an old photo of Kim Sae-ron and a man presumed to be Kim Soo-hyun standing in front of an apartment elevator began circulating online. This photo was originally uploaded on social media on June 23, 2017.
On the same day, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) commented on the photo, stating, “Criminal trash Kim Soo-hyun needs to explain this photo as well. It was uploaded to Instagram on June 23, 2017, when Kim Sae-ron was a high school freshman and still a minor. Since the photo shows them wearing winter clothes, it must have been taken even earlier, meaning she was likely still in middle school when it was taken.”
They continued, “The account that uploaded the photo appears to be a Kim Sae-ron fan account based overseas. This account also has several videos of Kim Sae-ron leaving her house with her family. The photo was taken in the apartment where Kim Sae-ron lived with her family. Her surviving family members have confirmed this as well.”
According to Gaseyeon, “Kim Soo-hyun was reportedly a frequent visitor to that apartment. He allegedly met Kim Sae-ron in secret when her family was out. Her family opposed their relationship due to the age difference, but Kim Soo-hyun persistently approached her despite her being a minor.”
They also pointed out, “That red puffer jacket looks familiar, doesn’t it? It seems to be the same red jacket Kim Soo-hyun was seen wearing with a JDC cap in another photo.”
Later, during a live broadcast, Gaseyeon reiterated the claims, stating, “Kim Sae-Ron’s family confirmed that the man in the photo is indeed Kim Soo-hyun. When Kim Sae-ron was a middle and high school student, she lived with her family, but when her parents were not home, Kim Soo-hyun visited her house for private meetings.”
Kim Sae-ron was found deceased at her home in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, at approximately 4:45 PM on February 16, which was Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday. She was 25 years old.
