On the 17th, Kim Gap-soo appeared on the YouTube channel 'Maebul Show' alongside broadcaster Heo Jae-moo to discuss the allegations surrounding Kim Soo-hyun.
During the discussion, Kim Gap-soo expressed his sympathy for the late actress Kim Sae-ron, stating, "I feel sorry for Kim Sae-ron, who passed away at a young age. I wish she could be left in peace, but the ongoing mudslinging is truly unfortunate."
He continued, "There's a lot of chaos over the 700 million won compensation and demands to acknowledge the relationship. It's a bizarre situation, and it's unpleasant to witness."
Kim Gap-soo added, "I've never been particularly interested in Kim Soo-hyun, but the news about him dating a minor is being treated like a major crime. People can date with significant age differences, and sometimes the woman can be older."
He further commented, "Kim Sae-ron was a child actress, so she might have matured early. She dated a man when she was 16, and he was 27. Is it fair to attack an adult man for dating a minor? Personally, I wouldn't have considered someone so young as a romantic partner."
Kim Gap-soo also speculated, "Perhaps Kim Soo-hyun denied the relationship with Kim Sae-ron from the start because he thought it would harm his image. It's not necessarily a bad thing; he just lacked the courage to fight against societal norms."
Following the video's release, netizens criticized Kim Gap-soo's comments as inappropriate, leading the 'Maebul Show' to remove the controversial segment.
Meanwhile, Kim Sae-ron's family has claimed through the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute that Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship from 2015 to 2021, releasing photos, messages, and letters as evidence.
In response, Kim Soo-hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, issued statements on the 14th and 15th, asserting that the two dated from 2019 to 2020, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult, and that the photos released by Garosero were taken in 2019.
On the 17th, Bu Ji-seok, the legal representative for Kim Sae-ron's family, held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, revealing that Kim Soo-hyun's agency sent a second notice containing threatening content.
Reporter Tae Yuna, Ten Asia youyou@tenasia.co.kr