April 2, 2025
SEOUL – Actor Kim Soo-hyun is facing widespread backlash following his tear-filled press conference Monday held to explain his relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron, with a petition started to expand South Korea’s statutory rape protections.
Criticism from global fans flooded social media platforms such as X and online forums, including Reddit, in the aftermath of the press conference. As of Tuesday, trending keywords on X included phrases like “fake tears” and “King of Tears,” a pointed play on the title of Kim’s hit drama series, “Queen of Tears.”
Local audiences also strongly criticized the actor for failing to clarify when his relationship with Kim Sae-ron began, not taking questions from reporters at the press conference, and newly surfaced evidence allegedly showing him at her house in 2018 during his military leave, when she was still a minor.
Some supporters argue that the public should wait for the outcome of Kim Soo-hyun’s lawsuit against Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family and a YouTube channel that accused him of being involved with the actress when she was a minor. However, widespread skepticism persists, with many believing he is “acting” and failing to address the truth.
Amid mounting public outcry, a petition was submitted to the National Assembly Monday, urging lawmakers to amend statutory rape laws to include ages 13-19. The petitioner pointed to a legal gap, as the current law only protects minors aged 13 to 16, leaving older teenagers vulnerable.
The petitioner stated, “The grooming sexual abuse committed by Hallyu star Kim Soo-hyun against the child actress Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor at the time, has outraged the entire nation. Unfortunately, the current law only protects children aged 13 to under 16, which means Kim Soo-hyun cannot be legally prosecuted.”
The proposal further called for stricter penalties for sexual offenses against minors, including jail sentences of a minimum two years for indecent acts and five years for rape.
The petition collected more than 10,000 signatures as of Tuesday. If more than 50,000 signatures are collected between Monday and April 30, the petition will be forwarded to the relevant parliamentary committee. Following a review of the proposed law, it could be presented at a plenary session of the National Assembly.
During Monday’s press conference, Kim Soo-hyun denied allegations that he was romantically involved with Kim Sae-ron while she was underaged, asserting that their relationship only began in 2019 when she was 19 and he was 31.
After the press conference, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency filed a lawsuit seeking 12 billion won ($8.16 million) in damages against Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family, a woman claiming to be her aunt and the operator of HoverLab, a far-right YouTube channel.
The lawsuit follows HoverLab’s claims that Kim dated Kim Sae-ron for six years, starting when she was 15, and that he and his agency pressured her to repay a 700 million won debt, allegedly leading to her death.