As more and more evidence of Kim Soo Hyun’s alleged relationship with Kim Sae Ron is released by who claims to be the late actress’ family through the YouTube channel HoverLab (better known as Garosero Institute), K-drama fans can’t help but wonder if the Queen of Tears megastar will face legal action. Being one of the highest-paid Korean actors, Soo Hyun is now embroiled in a controversy that no one saw coming.
Proof of Kim Soo Hyun’s alleged relationship with an underage Kim Sae Ron comes out
However, as the chatter continues to spill what is now starting to appear as credible proof of his inappropriate advances towards then-underage actresses, Hallyu fans have repeatedly brought up the discussion surrounding the possibility of facing criminal charges for a sexual offence involving a minor.
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HoverLab has so far alleged that Kim Soo Hyun started dating Kim Sae Ron in 2015 when he was 27 and she was 15. The It’s Okay Not to Be Okay actor’s agency, Gold Medalist, initially vehemently denied the claims. However, as the YouTube channel released past unseen pictures of the two actors, the company was cornered into admitting the pair’s relationship, but maintaining that they were both adults when their romance took shape.
Kim Soo Hyun’s agency revises official statement
According to the South Korean agency, Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after the Bloodhounds actress became an adult. Even though Gold Medalist continues to firmly refute The Producers actor’s past relationship with a then-underage Kim Sae Ron, the incendiary chatter surrounding these claims has already done enough damage to Kim Soo Hyun’s once untouchable reputation.
Legal expert weighs in on Kim Soo Hyun’s scandal
In light of the growing scandal, a legal expert recently weighed in on the chances of the Queen of Tears actor being caught in legal trouble. On March 14, KST, an attorney appearing on YTN’s ‘News Square 2 PM’ explained, “The laws regarding sexual offences against minors were revised in May of 2020. According to the revisions, if an adult engages in physical intimacy or sexual relations with a minor under the age of 16, regardless of whether there was consent, it may be deemed statutory rape or molestation.”
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According to AllKpop, the lawyer added, “But before the 2020 revision, the law only applied to minors under the age of 13. This means that in 2015, when Kim Sae Ron was 15 years old, the previous law was still in effect. Because the previous laws only applied to minors under the age of 13, the fact that they were simply in a relationship at the time would not be sufficient grounds for legal punishment.”
Further detailing the complicated situation, the attorney said, “Because she was 15 at the time, in order to legally punish Kim Soo Hyun for a sexual offence involving a minor, there must be proof of sexual contact or relations. Given what information has been revealed so far, it seems difficult to press criminal charges against him for a sexual offence involving a minor.”