After over a month since Kim Soo Hyun has been facing allegations involving late actresses Kim Sae Ron and Sulli, the actor finally comes forward. The ‘Queen of Tears’ star organised a press conference on Monday to address the mounting backlash and accusations against him. This is the first instance where the actor has spoken on the issue since Sae Ron’s demise. While he accepts having dated Sae Ron, he denies that she was a minor. Reflecting on the grooming and paedophilia allegations, Soo Hyun denies them. Moreover, he rebuffs the claim of him or his agency, GOLD MEDALIST pressuring the late actress over the debts. Soo Hyun also announced a lawsuit against her family for allegedly manipulating the media and making false allegations.

Kim Soo Hyun started the conference with an apology. He revealed feeling like a coward for taking this long to finally speak. The actor also expressed that the deceased is not being able to rest in peace.

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Kim Soo Hyun accepts past relationship with Kim Sae Ron

Addressing the claims one by one, Kim Soo Hyun revealed being in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron while filming ‘Queen of Tears.’ The actor also stated that he is ready for the backlash over denying their relationship initially. “I was in the same situation when [Kim Sae-ron] posted a picture of her and me when Queen of Tears was airing. I was together with her for about a year, about 4 years before the drama aired. But at that time, I denied our relationship. I fully understand that criticizing my choice is justified.”

He claimed that the reason he did not acknowledge their relationship was to protect the team of ‘Queen of Tears.’ “When Queen of Tears was airing, I had so much to protect as its lead actor. What would have happened if I had admitted to a year-long relationship. What would happen to the actors, the staff who were working overnight and the production team who had all everything staked on that project. What would happen to our agency’s employees. I’m willing to receive any criticism that say I am selfish and cowardly.”

Soo Hyun denies that Sae Ron was a minor

While the actor accepted dating Kim Sae Ron in the past, he iterated that she was not a minor. “I couldn’t let it be. I couldn’t accept (them) coercing me to take what’s fake as the truth. I never dated [Kim Sae-ron] when she was a minor. Except for the fact that both of us were actors, our relationship was just like that of any other ordinary couple. And it is not true that she had made this tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.”

The actor challenges the leaked texts from 2016 and 2018

Recently, Sae Ron’s family released a series of suggestive and flirtatious texts that the late actress received. They claimed that Kim Soo Hyun sent the alleged texts to Sae Ron. Now, Soo Hyun contests that he was not the sender of the texts. “They are framing me as a paedophile, accusing me of grooming based on KakaoTalk chats we had in 2016. The person who is having the conversation with the late actor is different from the KakaoTalk chats made in 2016 and 2018. In order to prove this, I have requested analysis into the KakaoTalk chat revealed by the late actor’s family in 2016, 2018 and this year. The agency showed that the chat made in 2016 and 2018 were made by different people. There is evidence of photos and videos and KakaoTalk chat that’s not original but that have been cleverly manipulated.”

He added, “I have done what I have done. I will take any criticism for that. But the things I haven’t done, I haven’t done. I want to clear my name. I will not ask for trust. I will prove it. Thank you.”

For context, read: The Scandal deepens: Shocking chats between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron LEAKED

The actor breaks silence on the DUI-related allegations

The actor claimed that when Sae Ron was facing the DUI charges, she was dating someone else. Moreover, he denied her family’s claims of his agency pressurising her over the debt accumulated following the DUI incident. “We dated with good feelings and after some time, we broke up. After that, we weren’t able to contact each other like we used to. Just like any other couple, contacting a lover after breaking up is a very cautious thing. I also couldn’t contact her easily when she had the DUI incident.”

He added, “But the family of the late actor, just because I am the ex-boyfriend of the late actor, is asserting that I pushed her to death. They are demanding me to confess to something that I didn’t do. [They said] you played with her even from when she was a minor. You threatened her with money. So, you are a murderer. I would like you to listen to this audio.” Soo Hyun subsequently played a phone conversation between GOLD MEDALIST’s CEO and a representative of Kim Sae Ron.

Soo Hyun files a case against Sae Ron’s family

At the press conference, Kim Soo Hyun’s lawyer revealed that the actor has filed a complaint against Sae Ron’s family. “We have filed a complaint against the family of the deceased and Hoverlab operators while filing a complaint on damages worth 12 billion won to the Supreme Central District Court.”