The 2016 KakaoTalk conversation that YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) presented as proof that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron was not actually with him — the other person was another celebrity, identified only as “A,” Dispatch reported on October 13.
According to Newsis, which cited Dispatch’s report, police forensically restored several phones used by Kim Sae-ron and recovered past conversations and photos. In the process, investigators found that Kim Sae-ron had been close to at least four men, and confirmed A’s real name in the original 2016 KakaoTalk conversation.
Police compared spelling and speech patterns and concluded that A and Kim Soo-hyun are different people. A reportedly followed spelling and spacing rules precisely, while Kim Soo-hyun habitually used incorrect spellings such as “겟” and “엇,” with different initial consonants for onomatopoeia.
Crucially, the message that read “When can I fall asleep holding you?” originally showed the sender as “unknown” — but was changed to Kim Soo-hyun in Gaseyeon’s version. A Gaseyeon employee reportedly told police during questioning that CEO Kim Se-eui ordered the sender’s name changed to Kim Soo-hyun.
The controversy began in March 2025, when Gaseyeon claimed Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron for six years starting from age 15. Kim admitted to the relationship but denied it began while she was a minor, and sued the bereaved family and Gaseyeon’s operator for defamation. The family later filed child welfare violation charges against him, which police recently closed without forwarding. Most photos Gaseyeon released as evidence were from 2019–2020, when Kim Sae-ron was in university — matching the timeline Kim admitted to.
No official statement was available from Kim Soo-hyun’s side regarding the latest report. After pausing activities over the controversy, he recently filmed an overseas advertisement, signaling a return, and appeared at a domestic awards ceremony last month.
