Professor Na Jong Ho, who appeared on You Quiz on the Block, expressed his sorrow over the passing of actress Kim Sae Ron.

On the 17th, Professor Na posted on his personal channel, writing, "I pray for Kim Sae Ron’s soul to rest in peace." He continued, "The girl who was so adorable in the movie The Man from Nowhere—I was deeply saddened when I learned through news articles about the hardships she had been facing in recent years."

He acknowledged, "Drunk driving is a grave mistake. If the punishment is too lenient, then there is an issue with the legal system. However, a society that buries people without giving them a chance for redemption just because they made a mistake is not a healthy society. A society that discards people who have made mistakes or fallen behind, as if nothing happened, feels like a giant Squid Game," drawing a comparison to the harsh and competitive nature of modern society.

Professor Na added, "I don’t usually comment on individuals. The death of one person is the result of a complex interaction of socioeconomic, psychological, and biological factors. However, with Kim Sae Ron’s passing, I strongly feel that she was pushed to the edge, and I can’t help but feel upset."

He further reflected, "The last article I saw about her mentioned that she was working part-time jobs due to financial difficulties. I also remember seeing the café where she worked being bombarded with malicious comments. How many lives must be lost before society stops imposing destructive shame that leaves no room to breathe? It’s time for social dialogue and reflection. I pray for the repose of her soul. My heart aches."

Earlier on the 16th, Kim Sae Ron passed away. She was found deceased at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, with no suicide note discovered at the scene. 

Meanwhile, Professor Na Jong Ho is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University and appeared on the tvN program You Quiz on the Block in 2023.