Controversy Erupts as YouTuber Accused of Defaming Late Actress Kim Sae-ron

YouTuber Lee Jin-ho has come under fire after claiming that the late actress Kim Sae-ron was married and had an abortion, leading to accusations of defamation from her family. Netizens have criticized Lee for allegedly defaming the deceased and diverting attention from the main issue.

On October 19, Lee Jin-ho posted a video on his YouTube channel, 'Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho,' asserting that Kim Sae-ron had married her boyfriend in the U.S. earlier this year. He referenced a social media post from January where Kim shared a photo resembling a wedding shoot with the caption "Marry."

Lee also released a recorded phone conversation from January 8 between a woman, identified as B, believed to be Kim Sae-ron, and her manager, A. In the recording, B stated that her boyfriend posted the photo, not her.

When asked by A if she had a wedding and where it took place, B confirmed, "Yes, it already happened overseas." She added, "I wasn't planning to marry him, but I got pregnant. I had an abortion, but it led to marriage. He used it to pressure me."

B also mentioned that her boyfriend managed all her social media accounts, saying, "He controls my KakaoTalk and Instagram. We fought because he wanted to make our marriage public, and he posted the photo. I asked him to delete it immediately."

When A remarked that the marriage couldn't be undone, B sighed, "I never thought I'd marry someone like him."

B described her boyfriend as an ordinary person working for a major company in New York, introduced by a mutual acquaintance. She noted, "He's fine usually, but he changes when he drinks. He's been anxious since learning about my ex."

Lee Jin-ho claimed that while Kim Sae-ron's family is raising issues about her past relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun, she was actually living a newlywed life with another man.

Netizens have condemned Lee's actions, arguing that his revelations about Kim's adult life are irrelevant to the main issue concerning her past relationship as a minor. They accuse him of deflecting the focus.

On October 17, Kim Sae-ron's family filed a lawsuit against Lee Jin-ho for defamation. According to the family, Lee has been posting false information about Kim since 2022, including claims that her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun was fabricated. He is also accused of framing her negatively multiple times. After Kim's passing last month, Lee reportedly made related videos private.

The family's lawyer stated, "We wish we could charge Lee Jin-ho with murder, but defamation doesn't equate to murder. We hope the severity of his actions is reflected in the sentencing."

Reported by Tae Yuna, TenAsia youyou@tenasia.co.kr