South Korean police don apply for arrest warrant for one YouTuber wey allegedly fake evidence wey spoil actor Kim Soo-hyun career. Authorities say the YouTuber, wey dem identify as Kim Se-ui, manipulate screenshot of text message and share audio file wey dem use AI make, to give impression say actor Kim Soo-hyun date actress Kim Sae-ron when she still be minor.
The matter come up last year, no be too long after Kim Sae-ron kill herself at age 24. The scandal shake the whole country and scatter the career of Kim Soo-hyun, wey be big name for South Korea. The actor don always deny the allegations.
Kim Se-ui, wey get almost one million followers for im channel, don post video wey im dey claim say authorities allegations na subterfuge wey dem arrange to disrupt im investigation. Months after Kim Sae-ron death, the YouTuber post online voice recording wey the actress dey talk say she don date Kim Soo-hyun from when she dey middle school. He also present screenshot of text message wey supposedly pass between the actor and the actress.
But now, authorities say the voice recording na AI wey dem generate. They also allege say the YouTuber manipulate screenshot of text message from the actress phone to make am look like she dey text Kim Soo-hyun. The YouTuber knowingly spread false claims for financial gain, according to authorities. Dem action “collapse Kim Soo-hyun social base and im economic activities across the board, and destroy the basis for im professional survival,” according to police filing wey JoongAng Ilbo report. Police also say Kim Soo-hyun still dey receive psychiatric treatment.
Celebrities for South Korea dey hold to high standards and dey put under extreme scrutiny. Besides serious allegations of sexual assault, celebrities don force to vanish from public eye for being exposed as teenage bullies or wearing fake designer clothes. Kim Sae-ron herself na victim of online hate by fans after she dem fine for 2022 drink-driving incident. Before that, she dey see as one of the most promising young actresses for South Korea.
Soon after her death, rumours come up online wey allege say Kim Soo-hyun date her when she just 15 years old. These rumours gain traction after the YouTuber post the texts and audio, and the actress family publicly back am up. Kim Soo-hyun agency initially deny say the couple ever date. The actor later admit say he date the actress for one year—but only when she be adult. At tearful press conference for March 2025, the actor insist say dem never date while she underage. “I can’t admit to something I didn’t do,” he talk. That month, he file criminal complaints and lawsuits against the YouTuber and the actress family for making false accusations.
Since then, Kim Soo-hyun—wey once star for multiple hit TV shows and advertisements—no don make any official public appearances. The release of Knock-Off, a Disney+ series wey he dey work on when the scandal break, don postpone indefinitely. Kim Soo-hyun and im agency no don comment on the authorities application for arrest warrant for the YouTuber.
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