Kim Soo Hyun-Kim Sae Ron controversy: Police reject minor dating claims, seek YouTuber’s arrest

THe long-running effectual saga involving southward Korea's top out doer Kim Soo Hyun, the tardily actress Kim Sae Ron, and the controversial YouTube channel Hoverlab (GaroSero Research Institute) has reached a definitive turning point. On May 20, 2026, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office formally requested an arrest warrant for Hoverlab chief Kim Se Eui. The move follows a sweeping police investigation that comprehensively debunked claims that the Queen of Tears actor had dated Kim Sae Ron while she was still a minor, proving the allegations were false.The massive scandal has gripped the country for over a year, exploding in the wake of Kim Sae Ron’s tragic passing in February 2025. Following her Hoverlab alongside legal representatives tied to the actress's family alleged that a romantic relationship had existed between the two since she was just 15 years old. While Kim Soo Hyun's legal representatives consistently maintained that they only briefly dated between 2019 and 2020, well after she reached legal adulthood.Forensic investigationA digital forensics team at Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station spent months tracking the data trails left behind by Hoverlab. Their conclusion was definitive: the channel knowingly manufactured a malicious smear campaign purely to drive YouTube clicks, views, and monetary revenue. As reported by The Korea Times, investigators pulled no punches in their warrant application, explicitly saying: “The suspect distributed false information with the intent to defame Kim Soo Hyun, despite being fully aware that he had never been in a relationship with the deceased from when she was a minor.”The state's criminal case primarily hinges on dismantling two highly publicized pieces of evidence pushed by the YouTubers: a series of KakaoTalk chat logs and a private voice recording. Both have now been proven to be completely fraudulent. Allegations of manipulation of evidencesReports claim that the first piece of deceptive evidence involved 2016 KakaoTalk text message screenshots that Hoverlab claimed were intimate conversations between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron. However, forensic analysis of the metadata revealed a different story. The original chat logs actually showed conversations between Kim Sae Ron and an entirely different, anonymous individual. Before releasing the images to the public, Hoverlab intentionally edited the files in multiple places, swapping out the unidentified profile name with Kim Soo Hyun to manufacture a fake digital paper trail.The deception ran even deeper with an audio file presented during a Hoverlab press conference in May 2025. Kim Se Eui and attorney Boo Ji Seok boasted that the clip featured Kim Sae Ron confirming she dated the actor during middle school. Kim Soo Hyun’s camp immediately flagged the file as an outright fabrication.Though an initial review by the National Forensic Service (NFS) was inconclusive due to poor file quality, subsequent digital tracing and structural analysis allowed police to confirm that the clip was constructed using advanced generative AI voice-cloning technology.Legal updateBeyond standard internet defamation, prosecutors are aggressively pursuing Kim Se Eui under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, targeting his illicit distribution of private media and subsequent threats to leak more sensitive material.The legal issues dragged attorney Boo Ji Seok, who acted as the public legal defense for Kim Sae Ron’s family during Hoverlab's press circuits. Police have officially booked the lawyer as a suspected co-conspirator, alleging that he stepped far beyond the boundaries of legal representation to actively help organize, distribute, and reproduce the forged digital evidence.Reflecting on this startling development, Kim Soo Hyun’s defense lawyer, Ko Sang-rok, noted: “Kim Soo Hyun's side did not file a complaint against the family's attorney. It appears that investigators found independent evidence of conspiracy and made the lawyer a suspect. It is highly unusual for a lawyer who started as a suspect's defense counsel to be recognized as an accomplice.” Kim Soo Hyun - what happened to him?Up until the rumours went viral in early 2025, he stood as one of South Korea's most bankable, and highest-paid actors. Once allegations were out, it fractured his career, the termination of premium brand endorsements, and a total freeze on his acting projects. Last year, he even held a press conference dismissing the allegations and broke down in tears in front of massive media crowd in South Korea.According to the warrant documents, as reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, authorities noted that Hoverlab's constant broadcasts had collapsed Kim Soo Hyun's social base and his economic activities across the board, destroying the basis for his professional survival.Police also revealed that the actor is currently undergoing psychiatric treatment to cope with the severe emotional trauma caused by the ordeal. Meanwhile, Hoverlab CEO Kim Se-eui has refused to back down. In a recent livestream, he claimed the arrest warrant was an attempt by authorities to silence his reporting.Meanwhile, Hoverlab CEO Kim Se Eui has refused to back down. In a recent livestream, he claimed the arrest warrant was an attempt by authorities to silence his reporting.A judge at the Seoul Central District Court will review the arrest warrant on May 26, 2026, to decide whether Kim Se Eui will be detained as the criminal case moves forward.