Kim Se-ui, the head of YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute, pleaded for bail on October 15 as he stands trial on defamation charges tied to actor Kim Soo-hyun, according to NewsEn.
The bail hearing was held at the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 26, presided over by Judge Lee Hyun-kyung, Yonhap reported.
His lawyer said Kim lives in solitary confinement over fears for his safety, and that with panic disorder and other mental illnesses, continued solitary living could harm his mental health. He added that Kim’s prison funds were seized, leaving him unable to buy medication, and that with a fixed residence he poses no flight risk.
Kim himself told the court he had been “demonized by the media” while detained, expressed confidence in a “clear acquittal,” and said he has no reason to flee.
Prosecutors countered that if released, Kim could twist the bail into a claim of innocence and spread it. They said he has kept broadcasting by sending letters from detention and leaking court documents beyond their intended purpose, raising concerns about repeat offenses and harm to victims.
Kim is accused of spreading false claims on YouTube and at press conferences between March and May 2025 — that the late Kim Sae-ron dated Kim Soo-hyun since she was a minor and that her death was caused by debt-repayment pressure from Kim Soo-hyun’s side. He is also accused of manipulating the late actress’s voice with generative AI.
Kim remains in detention as the trial continues.
