The weight of debt and the burden of expectation had become an unbearable cross for Kim Saeron to bear. Once a rising star in the industry, she found herself at the mercy of financial obligations that seemed impossible to meet. Her desperate plea for time to repay the staggering KRW 700 million loan was met with indifference, leaving her in a downward spiral of anxiety and despair.
On November 22, 2022, Kim Saeron borrowed KRW 686,409,653 under a money consumption loan agreement, promising to repay it by December 31, 2023. But as the due date passed, she was unable to fulfill her obligations. Gold Medalist, the agency she had once trusted, sent her a formal notice, warning of impending legal action if the full amount was not deposited immediately.
Desperate and afraid, she reached out to Kim Soohyun, a fellow actor and someone she had once relied upon.
“Oppa, It’s Saeron. I received a certified email saying that they’re suing me. They said they’d give me plenty of time, so I’m diligently preparing for my return and will pay a few percent little by little. I’m not saying I won’t pay, but if they ask me for 700 million won right away, I really can’t do it. It’s not that I won’t, I just can’t do it, but do I really have to go all the way with a lawsuit? Please spare me… Please give me time.”
However, her plea seemed to fall on deaf ears. Despite reports that veteran actor Won Bin was willing to help cover her debt, Kim Soohyun allegedly insisted she repay the amount herself. With no other choice, Kim Saeron sold off her assets, including her car and convertible bonds, scraping together around ₩200 million KRW. It was not enough. The pressure mounted, and soon, she was forced to leave her Seongsudong home, her life unraveling before her eyes.
Neighbors had witnessed her silent suffering.
“I thought it was Kim Saeron when I saw the article about her death. I remember her because she used to cry a lot on the stairs in the hallway,” one neighbor recalled.
“She used to sit on the steps of the building and cry for a long time. I once tried to comfort her because I felt sorry for her. It seemed like there was a personal story. I also heard complaints. I saw wounds around her wrists. I thought to myself, ‘What a hard life that young girl must have had.’ Until then, I didn’t even know she was an actress. I thought she had come to Seoul to live with her family.”
Dispatch’s investigation revealed the intricate and painful relationship between Kim Saeron and Kim Soohyun. Sources confirmed their closeness, stating, “Kim Saeron’s age is an issue, so they can never admit to being in a relationship.” It was an open secret in the industry, a relationship shrouded in controversy.
Kim Saeron’s father later revealed that his daughter had attempted suicide multiple times after being criticized in videos made by cyber wrecker Lee Jinho. The constant public scrutiny and online harassment had taken a toll on her mental health, pushing her deeper into despair.
Kim Soohyun, in a past interview, had controversially stated, “I’m going to get married around 41 years old. I can meet a 21-year-old woman at 41.” This statement resurfaced amid the growing scandal, adding further fuel to speculation about his past connections.
On February 16, 2025, the world received tragic news—Kim Saeron had passed away at the age of 24. According to police reports, the Seoul Seongdong Police Station received a call at around 5 p.m. KST. “There were no signs of crime including break-in, and we are investigating the exact circumstances of her passing,” authorities stated. A friend, who had arranged to meet her, was the one who discovered her.
Kim Saeron had debuted as an actress in 2009 with the film “A Brand New Life” and later gained fame through “The Man from Nowhere.” Her last project was the 2023 series “Bloodhounds.”
Her struggles had begun earlier, with a major turning point on May 18, 2022, when Gangnam Police Station confirmed that Kim Saeron had been caught drunk driving. She had crashed into a construction site while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 0.227%. During her trial, the prosecution noted, “The accused’s blood alcohol level was very high, and it was a serious crime as she fled the scene without taking responsibility.” Though she expressed deep regret, apologizing and vowing to never drink again, her career and reputation suffered greatly.
During the final argument of her case, Kim Saeron pleaded, “This will never happen again. I’m sorry. I’m reflecting. I stopped drinking and sold my car. I’m suffering from the hardships of life as the head of household. I hope you will be as lenient as possible.”
Despite her efforts to atone for her mistakes, she was ultimately unable to escape the weight of the scandal, the financial burden, and the relentless judgment of the public and industry insiders.
Gold Medalist, after Kim Saeron’s passing, maintained that their certified notice was a mere formality. “We had no intentions of receiving money from Kim Saeron. We thought we wouldn’t get it. We only followed basic procedures because there could have been a case of malpractice brought up.”
When pressed on whether they informed her that it was just a procedural action, they stated, “From what we know, her manager got in contact with her at that time. We needed the documents for it.”
Yet, despite their claims, Kim Saeron had been left in distress. She had sold almost everything she had, but it was never enough. The weight of the world had been too heavy for her to carry alone.
As the industry reels from the revelation, a recently surfaced photo of a young Kim Saeron, only sixteen, sitting beside a twenty-eight-year-old Kim Soohyun, adds another layer of complexity to the tragedy. The world watches, questions linger, and the echoes of Kim Saeron’s silent suffering refuse to fade away.
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