According to NewsEn's exclusive report, Kim Soo Hyun’s side reportedly met with former agency officials and acquaintances of the late Kim Sae Ron, trying to persuade them to hold a press conference.

Speculation has arisen that Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, may have gathered evidence and information suggesting that the late Kim Sae Ron’s tragic death was not solely due to the agency’s demand for a 700 million KRW (~478,939 USD) repayment.

According to an entertainment industry insider on March 19, “Through various channels, Gold Medalist appears to have gathered materials and data that help infer Kim Sae Ron’s schedule and state of mind in the months leading up to her passing. They have met with multiple individuals who can support this, and they are currently persuading one or two key figures to participate in an interview or press conference.”

With the YouTube channel HOVERLAB (Garo Sero Research Institute) strongly amplifying the bereaved family's stance, responding to each claim individually or overturning the situation in one move seems challenging. However, it is evident that Gold Medalist does not intend to remain passive. Given the worsening situation of losing over ten advertising deals and facing potential damage to ongoing projects, the agency appears to be attempting a turnaround by presenting fact-checked information. Their crisis management strategy seems focused on mitigating the backlash without provoking the deceased’s family further.

Currently, Kim Soo Hyun’s team is handling the situation in three parts: a law firm overseeing legal reviews as the central command, a management team monitoring media and advertising, and an internal and external crisis management team. This crisis team has reportedly been meeting with Kim Sae Ron’s acquaintances and former agency officials to retrace the events before her passing, leading to speculation that they may have obtained significant testimonies or evidence.

One of the key points being examined is Kim Sae Ron’s two-week trip to the U.S. in January, a month before her passing. At the time, she uploaded a photo with a man and the word “Marry” on social media, sparking brief speculation about an engagement before deleting the post. Sources now claim that the man in the deleted photo was a Korean-American working for a U.S. company and that her trip was actually for wedding preparations.

If this claim holds true, it could weaken the bereaved family's argument that the notices sent by Gold Medalist and Kim Soo Hyun’s severed contact directly led to her death. An industry insider cautiously commented, “Gold Medalist, now cornered, is desperate to escape the ‘Kim Soo Hyun responsibility’ narrative. The question is whether they truly have a ‘smoking gun’ that could shift public opinion while also showing sincerity toward the bereaved family.” 

However, concerns remain that without a genuine apology from Kim Soo Hyun, this move could backfire and further intensify the controversy.

SEE ALSO: Kim Sae Ron's bereaved family releases an AI-generated memorial video of the late actress