"Urgent Repayment Requested"… Kim Sae Ron Under Pressure for 700 Million Won
# Certified Notice
In March 2024, Gold Medalist sent a certified notice to Kim Sae Ron demanding repayment of a debt. The letter stated that the former agency had covered the damages on her behalf and was now seeking reimbursement.
"You borrowed 686,409,653 won from our client on November 22, 2022, under a monetary consumption loan agreement, agreeing to repay it by December 31, 2023. However, despite the repayment deadline passing, you have yet to settle the outstanding loan."
Gold Medalist warned that if Kim Sae Ron failed to deposit the full 700 million won (approximately equal to $482,000 USD.) promptly, they would pursue civil and criminal legal action.
# SOS
At the time, Kim Sae Ron was in no position to repay the amount.
"Kim Sae Ron has been supporting her family as the primary breadwinner since she was young. She is facing financial difficulties due to the compensation payments." (Kim Sae Ron’s attorney, first trial)
Kim Sae Ron was Gold Medalist’s first signed artist. However, her contract was not renewed, and she may have assumed that the 700 million won issue had been implicitly resolved.
For someone in her situation, the demand for full repayment and the threat of legal action was more than just pressure—it was fear-inducing. In desperation, she turned to Kim Soo Hyun, reaching out to her former partner for help.
# Ignored
Dispatch obtained a text message that Kim Sae Ron sent to Kim Soo Hyun on March 24, 2024.
"Oppa, it’s Sae Ron. I received a certified letter. They’re taking legal action. If they demand 700 million won all at once, I really can’t do it. Do we really have to go to court? Please help me. Please give me time."
Kim Sae Ron and Kim Soo Hyun had been in a relationship in the past. Their connection led her to sign an exclusive contract with Gold Medalist, which originally operated as Kim Soo Hyun’s personal agency.
However, Kim Soo Hyun did not respond. As a last resort, Kim Sae Ron posted a photo of them together, a silent plea for him to reach out. She quickly deleted the post, but the message was clear.
# No Response
Dispatch attempted to contact Kim Sae Ron directly. Amid numerous reports stating that she was preparing an official statement, the outlet sought to verify the situation.
Dispatch: We’re reaching out after reading reports that you’re preparing a statement.
Kim Sae Ron: I never said I was releasing a statement. It seems my words were misinterpreted.
It became clear that Kim Sae Ron did not want the issue to escalate further. However, it appeared she had gained some relief regarding the debt issue.
# Gold Medalist’s Decision
In response to Dispatch’s inquiries, Gold Medalist stated, "Considering Kim Sae Ron’s circumstances, we decided not to collect the money."
However, the agency’s claims did not align with their actions.
Kim Sae Ron’s financial situation had not improved. The only thing that had changed was public attention shifting to Kim Soo Hyun after the photo surfaced.
The exact conversations between Kim Sae Ron and the agency remain unknown. While she wished to keep matters private, the agency released a one-sided press statement.
"The dating rumors regarding Kim Soo Hyun are completely false. The photo in question appears to have been taken when they were under the same agency. We have no knowledge of Kim Sae Ron’s intentions behind her actions." (Gold Medalist)
The photo changed everything. While Kim Sae Ron’s financial burden lessened, she became known as "self-made dating rumor."
# Tragedy
On February 16, 2025, Kim Sae Ron passed away. Coincidentally, the date was also Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday.
Following her passing, Dispatch revisited the debt issue and asked Gold Medalist for clarification.
"The production company of Bloodhounds demanded 700 million won in damages due to her DUI incident. Our agency paid the amount on her behalf." (Gold Medalist)
Dispatch: Then why did you send the certified notice?
Gold Medalist: We never intended to collect the money from her. We had no choice but to complete the necessary legal procedures to avoid potential breach of fiduciary duty.
Dispatch: Did you inform Kim Sae Ron that it was just a formality?
Gold Medalist: Her manager at the time explained the situation to her. We also needed documentation for internal procedures.
Dispatch: Kim Sae Ron seemed extremely distressed after receiving the notice.
Gold Medalist: When we initially loaned her the money, we told her she could repay it when she had the financial means. We never expected her to return such a large sum immediately.
# Contradictions
The discrepancies between Gold Medalist’s claims and Kim Sae Ron’s actions raise questions.
More than anything, Kim Sae Ron appeared to feel immense pressure from the certified notice. She likely never heard that it was merely a formality. Her desperate text to Kim Soo Hyun speaks for itself.
Dispatch: How much did Kim Sae Ron actually pay in compensation?
Gold Medalist: Her accident vehicle was damaged beyond repair, so it was sold as a used car for approximately 35 million won. After that, we didn’t receive any additional payments.
However, Dispatch’s investigation found that Kim Sae Ron did not neglect her debts. She allocated profits from investments in 'Golden S' toward her penalty fees and advertising contract compensation.
# Penalties
Within her financial limits, Kim Sae Ron did her best to pay off her obligations. She sold off assets, including her car and CB investments, using more than 200 million won for compensation.
Gold Medalist was fully aware of her financial struggles. So why send the certified notice? The claim that it was "a formality" does not fully explain their decision.
(Note: 'Golden S' is a publicly listed company acquired by Gold Medalist and Siwon School. Kim Sae Ron was involved as a CB investor. Gold Medalist, 100% owned by Kim Soo Hyun and Irobe, reportedly gained a fivefold profit from the acquisition.)
# Kim Sae Ron's Apartment
On the day of Kim Sae Ron’s passing, Dispatch visited her residence and spoke with a neighbor.
"I only realized it was Kim Sae Ron after reading the news of her passing. I remember her because she often cried on the stairs in the hallway." (Neighbor)
Dispatch: When did she move in?
Neighbor: She moved in around February 2023. I heard she was set to move out on February 18.
Dispatch: Did you ever see her?
Neighbor: I once saw her sitting on the staircase, crying for a long time. She seemed troubled, so I comforted her. She opened up about her struggles.
The neighbor also mentioned noticing scars on Kim Sae Ron’s wrists.
"I saw scars around her wrists. I remember thinking she must have had a very difficult life for someone so young. At the time, I didn’t even realize she was an actress. I just thought she was living in Seoul with her younger sister."
# More Falsehoods
Gold Medalist released an official statement, labeling the reports "false rumors."
However, Dispatch’s investigation suggests that there were more accounts supporting the claims than refuting them.
A close acquaintance of Kim Soo Hyun revealed, "Because of Kim Sae Ron’s age, there was no way he could publicly acknowledge the relationship."
Their past relationship was an open secret, making Gold Medalist’s blanket denial questionable.
"This time, is it 'self-made marriage'?"… Kim Sae Ron deletes wedding photos (2025.01.08)
While it’s impossible to say that any single factor led to Kim Sae Ron’s passing, a combination of events, including media scrutiny, public perception, and personal struggles, undoubtedly played a role.
Could Gold Medalist have handled the situation better? Instead, their legal notice pressured her, and their official statements discredited her.
Was that truly the best way to support one of their former artists?
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