After the DUI controversy, the late Kim Sae Ron, who was struggling with financial difficulties, worked part-time at a cafe to make ends meet, and a heartbreaking story emerged that is gaining new attention.
When Kim Sae Ron posted photos of herself working at a cafe, some mocked her, saying she was "trying to buy sympathy" and that the part-time job was staged. However, the truth was revealed after her passing, which caused more remorse and heartbreak.
On February 19, Channel A's 'Happy Morning' aired an episode where entertainment reporter Choi Jeong Ah recalled her past encounter with Kim Sae Ron.
Reporter Choi revealed that she initially had prejudices after seeing an article suggesting that Kim Sae Ron wasn’t actually working but was exaggerating her financial struggles. She shared, "I saw an article claiming that Kim Sae Ron wasn’t really working but exaggerating her financial troubles. So, I also had some prejudices."
Then, by chance, Choi Jeong Ah visited a cafe in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, and saw a bright-looking staff member working there. After placing her order, a companion remarked, "That looks a lot like Kim Sae Ron," and only then did Choi Jeong Ah realize it was her.
Recalling the moment, reporter Choi admitted, "I felt ashamed of the prejudices I had about her." She left a note along with her business card, writing, "I was one of the people who misunderstood after reading the article, and I’m really sorry. I want to apologize on behalf of the current articles. I hope we can meet again under better circumstances and conduct an interview for a movie."
The cafe owner later contacted reporter Choi and said, "Kim Sae Ron went up to the rooftop and cried for a long time after reading your note."
Choi Jeong Ah replied, "I really want to meet her and talk," but unfortunately, they never had the chance to meet again.
After the DUI incident, Kim Sae Ron had to arrange over 700 million KRW (~488,402 USD) in compensation and, facing financial struggles, reportedly borrowed 700 million KRW from her agency, Gold Medalist.
However, after it was revealed that she had worked part-time to support herself, a photo of her enjoying a game of Texas Hold'em surfaced, sparking another round of controversy.
The public responded negatively with criticism such as, "How can someone facing financial difficulties participate in Hold'em?" This scrutiny made Kim Sae Ron's situation even more challenging. Eventually, amidst the endless controversy, Kim Sae Ron was found dead on February 16 at her home in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong District, Seoul. The police confirmed that there were no signs of external intrusion or criminal activity.
Kim Sae Ron's funeral took place at Seoul Asan Hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Attending to say their goodbyes were her younger sister, actress Kim Ah Ron, along with family members, actress Kim Bo Ra, AKMU's Suhyun, and AB6IX's Park Woo Jin.
Following her death, criticisms about the excessive blame and pressure placed on celebrities have been raised. There have been ongoing concerns that the unrelenting criticism of celebrities making a mistake is putting extreme psychological pressure on them.
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