Kim Soo-hyun breaks down: 'I will accept criticism, but that doesn't make lies true'

South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears during a press conference on Monday, March 31, as he firmly denied allegations connecting him to the death of late actress Kim Sae-ron.

Appearing alongside his lawyer Kim Jong-bok, the "Queen of Tears" star addressed weeks of mounting speculation about his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron, who died in February 2025.

"I did not date the deceased when she was a minor. And it is also not true that the deceased made a tragic choice because of me turning away or because my agency pressured her about her debt," Soo-hyun stated, visibly emotional.

The actor confirmed he and Kim Sae-ron dated for approximately one year five years ago, but denied accusations from her family and the YouTube channel Garosero Institute that he had contributed to her death.

During his statement, Kim acknowledged his past silence on the matter. "I consider myself a coward. I always seemed preoccupied with protecting what I had," he said, breaking down as he explained his delayed response.

The controversy intensified when Kim Sae-ron's family released what they claimed were KakaoTalk messages between the actors. Kim Soo-hyun disputed their authenticity, presenting results from a verification agency showing that "the people in 2016 and 2018 are not the same person."

"The most painful thing since the family's exposure began was this. When my agency and I release our stance on the family's evidence, a newly recorded testimony is suddenly released," Soo-hyun said, suggesting a pattern of manipulated evidence against him.

Following the press conference, Soo-hyun's legal representative announced they have filed criminal complaints and civil lawsuits against the bereaved family members and other parties involved.

"I will accept any criticism for the choices I made. But that doesn't mean that everything that is not true becomes true," Soo-hyun stated. "I will definitely prove it."

The case has attracted significant public attention, with allegations surfacing soon after the conclusion of Soo-hyun's highly successful drama "Queen of Tears."