Seoul, South Korea (AP) – The suicide of a younger actor in South Korea. Accusations of a minor relationship. They’re a part of a development drama On the earth of Asian leisure that raises questions concerning the therapy of society to celebrities in disaster, with exhausting means and on-line feedback amplifying their decrease moments.
This week, the South Korean actor Kim Soo-Hyun publicly denounced who got here out with the late actor Kim Sae-Ron when he was lower than the age of sexual consent. His emotional press convention adopted Kim Sae-Ron suicide In February, which revived the accusations that they have been romantically concerned.
That is what we all know concerning the case.
Who was Kim Sae-Ron?
Kim Sae-Ron was as soon as some of the promising movie stars in South Korea. He started performing at 9 years within the 2009 movie “A Model New Life”, which premiered on the Cannes Movie Competition. He obtained extra recognition with “The Man from Nowhere” (2010) and “A Woman at My Door” (2014), additionally invited to Cannes.
His profession stopped in Might 2022 after his automotive crashed in Seoul whereas driving below affect. Regardless of providing a public apology and, based on reviews, paying compensation to shops that misplaced energy because of the accident, confronted implacable adverse consideration.
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Editor’s notice: In South Korea, the folks they name can obtain 24-hour recommendation by way of the Direct Suicide Prevention Line 1577-0199, the “Life Line” service in 1588-9191, the “Phone of La Esperanza” in 129 and the “Youth Phone” in 1388.
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The media and on-line commentators examined their private life. YouTube gossip channels accused her of exaggerating monetary difficulties and questioned her sincerity. Critics and their household say that it contributed to their lower in psychological well being.
He dedicated suicide on February 16, Kim Soo-Hyun’s birthday.
Who’s Kim Soo-Hyun and what’s he accused?
Kim Soo-Hyun, 37, has additionally been some of the acknowledged actors in South Korea, recognized for dramas as “My love from the star” (2013) and “Queen of Tears” (2024), in addition to movies corresponding to “The Thieves” (2012) and “Secretly, to a big extent” (2013).
Hypothesis a few relationship with Kim Sae-Ron started final 12 months when he posted a photograph of them, it was rapidly eradicated. The gold medalist, the company co-founded by Kim Soo-Hyun, denied the connection, based on the media of South Korea.
Days after the loss of life of Kim Sae-Ron, a YouTube channel recognized for its politically loaded content material, Hoverlab, claimed that she and Kim Soo-Hyun had been in a six-year romantic relationship as of 2015, when he was 15 years outdated and he was about 20 years outdated. The channel launched what it referred to as proof that features photographs, movies and lyrics. Kim Soo-Hyun has referred to as them manufactured.
Kim Sae-Ron’s household had approached Hoverlab to free the supplies, calling him an try to revive the picture of Kim Sae-Ron.
On March 27, a lawyer who represents the household of Kim Sae-Ron offered to journalists what the household stated it was a photograph of a letter not delivered written in 2024 wherein Kim Sae-Ron described Kim Soo-Hyun as his “first and final love” and referred to a relationship of 5 to 6 years.
The letter was written after she couldn’t attain Kim Soo-Hyun to debate a debt owed to her company, based on the lawyer. After the Kim Sae-Ron contract ended and was not renewed, the company requested him to pay 700 million income (about $ 520,000) in damages associated to his drunk driving case. His household says that the demand was exercised by extreme stress on her.
Kim Soo-Hyun has acknowledged that he left with Kim Sae-Ron, however insisted that her relationship started after she grew to become an grownup. He referred to as claims of a false and dangerous minor relationship.
“It is usually not true that the deceased made a tragic determination attributable to my avoidance (from her), or as a result of my company pressed it on the debt,” Kim advised the press convention on Monday.
He refused to reply an AP query about when he met Kim Sae-Ron.
May there be authorized penalties?
If any regulation broke it relies upon largely on the time. South Korea elevated his age of sexual consent from 13 to 16 in 2020. Kim Sae-Ron was born in 2000, and the household alleges that the connection started in 2015, when he was 15 years outdated and Kim Soo-Hyun was 27 years outdated.
Kim Soo-Hyun argues that his relationship lasted from the summer time of 2019 to the autumn of 2020, when Kim Sae-Ron was a authorized grownup.
The Kim Soo-Hyun company has taken authorized actions in opposition to the household of Kim Sae-Ron and Hoverlab, which first issued the statements of the minor relationship, to distribute non-public photographs and movies of the actor, together with the pictures of Kim Soo-Hyun kissing the late actor. Kim’s company stated Kim Sae-Ron had visited his division and that his household was current. The company stated they weren’t courting at the moment.
On Monday, Kim Soo-Hyun lawyer introduced a civil lawsuit that seeks 12 billion Wones (roughly $ eight.15 million) in damages in opposition to the YouTube channel and Kim Sae-Ron’s household, along with legal complaints that declare defamation and violation of privateness legal guidelines. Kim Soo-Hyun and his company additionally sued the YouTube channel operator to harass.
The authorized consultant of the household and Hoverlab advised the AP on Wednesday that they plan to demand Kim Soo-Hyun and his company for making false statements about their relationship with the late actor.
What position did harassment play on-line?
Kim’s loss of life revived the criticisms of the implacable tradition of the media and the digital media of South Korea. His household has indicated movies with speculative and never verified content material that portrays it as emotionally unstable and morally questionable.
Demand for defamation is usually a protracted and costly battle for the celebrities of South Korea, since many platforms, corresponding to YouTube, are primarily based overseas. The punishments are usually mild, with suspended fines or sentences.
Different excessive profile instances after adverse on-line care have included the loss of life of Ok-Pop singers Sulli and Goo Hara In 2019 and “parasite” actor Learn Solar-Kyun in 2023.
What’s the consequence?
The Prada vogue model has completed its collaboration with Kim Soo-Hyun. The South Korean cosmetics firm ended its one -year contract with it, citing the seriousness of the controversy. 7-Eleven Taiwan canceled an occasion of Kim Soo-Hyun followers final month, citing modifications within the schedule.
A web based request This week, asking that the age of consent is collected from 16 to 19 has gathered nearly 40,000 signatures on the Nationwide Meeting web site.
Prompt Reforms In South Korea geared toward discouraging exhausting on-line feedback haven’t been authorised.