Kim Sae Ron’s audio informant ‘upset’ over fraud allegations; Garosero responds to Kim Soo Hyun’s fake assault photo claims

The controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo Hyun has entered a new and highly volatile chapter. The Garosero Research Institute publicly rejected claims made by his management agency, GOLDMEDALIST. The dispute centers around the authenticity of assault-related photos. The credibility of an informant is also being questioned who claims to have insider knowledge about the late actress Kim Sae Ron and her alleged connection to Kim Soo Hyun.

At a press conference held in Seoul on May 7, Kim Se Ui, a prominent member of Garosero, stood alongside Bu Ji Seok, legal representative for the bereaved family of Kim Sae Ron. Together, they issued statements directly challenging the actor’s agency and presented new allegations that have stirred a media frenzy.

Central to their claims were graphic images and a video testimony. They were purportedly from an informant who has disclosed alleged audio recordings of Kim Sae Ron. In the audio recording, the late actress can be heard speaking about having had an intimate relationship with Kim Soo Hyun while she was still in middle school. 

According to Garosero, the informant was violently attacked in the days following their disclosure. During the conference, the Garosero team displayed images of the informant’s injuries. It included visible bruising, wounds, and medical bandaging. They asserted that the assault was a deliberate attempt to intimidate the informant and suppress sensitive information related to the late actress' case. The suggestion pointed, albeit without direct proof, to a possible link with actor Kim Soo Hyun.

However, this narrative was immediately met with strong resistance from GOLDMEDALIST. In an official statement, the agency dismissed the entire presentation as deceptive and irresponsible. They labeled Garosero's claims as baseless, saying the so-called evidence photos were actually images found online.

Further undermining Garosero’s case, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho held a hastily arranged press conference later that same day. Lee presented a comparison of the allegedly fabricated photos and identical images sourced from online platforms. He emphasized that the Garosero conference had misled the public and accused the organization of manipulating public sentiment with false claims.

Garosero quickly fired back, denying any use of AI tools or photo manipulation. Kim Se Ui insisted that the photos had been directly supplied by the informant. He shared that the informant requested future videos be made using their real voice instead of a voice actor. “The informant was upset that people kept calling them a fraud and that the photos were from Google. The informant came to me from the hospital to tell me they would release a video they took on their phone at 4 AM,” he revealed.

In a self-recorded video shared, the informant tearfully explained his injuries. He said they couldn’t use their left hand and struggled to photograph their right shoulder due to shaking. He urged, “Please understand I tried to take a picture and send it to you, but I was afraid I would talk nonsense.” He added that nerve issues prevented him from unwrapping his left hand to show his surgery site, citing concern about infection. The informant also frustratedly questioned, “What can I do if you say something even after I show you this?”

ALSO READ: Kim Soo Hyun row: Kim Sae Ron's voice recording informant gets stabbed 9 times in New Jersey; wife says attackers knew THIS