Amid claims that the late actress Kim Sae Ron worked unpaid as a visual director while under Gold Medalist, a former employee of the agency has come forward to refute the allegations.

On March 22, an individual identified as 'A,' who claimed to be a former Gold Medalist employee, shared their stance via Instagram. 'A' wrote, "I send my condolences to the late actress Kim Sae Ron," adding, "I worked as a creative director at Gold Medalist from its early days when the company had no official logo, overseeing branding and visual direction."

'A' further stated, "The profile photo of Kim Sae Ron currently on Naver was also directed by me. I was responsible for the visual direction of all trainees, rookies, and actors at Gold Medalist." They explained that they felt compelled to speak out because "everything I did at Gold Medalist over the past five years is being completely disregarded."

Denying the claims that Kim Sae Ron worked as an early visual director without pay, 'A' emphasized, "That statement is a complete lie."

'A' also provided details of their work history and credentials, revealing that they worked as a creative editor at Gold Medalist from November 2019 to December 2024. Their experience also includes contributing to the mapping visuals for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and planning media art projects, such as the media tower at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1.

Previously, Kim Sae Ron’s family had made claims via the Garo Sero Research Institute (HOVERLAB) YouTube channel, alleging that Kim Sae Ron and actor Kim Soo Hyun were in a relationship. 

They stated that in 2019, she rejected offers from other agencies to join Gold Medalist, where Kim Soo Hyun was signed. They further claimed that she played a role in scouting new talent and actively contributed to company operations without compensation.

SEE ALSO: Kim Bo Ra writes heartfelt letter to late friend Kim Sae Ron