A phone call recording has surfaced, supporting claims that the late actress Kim Sae Ron had accumulated tens of millions of won in debt to her agency to cover hospital bills after a reported self-harm incident.
On March 24th KST, journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin Ho uploaded a video titled “Kim Sae Ron’s Final Recording—The Heartbreaking Truth Behind Her Hospital Bills” on his YouTube channel.
Lee explained, “I previously reported that Kim Sae Ron allegedly attempted to take her own life last year, which resulted in hospital bills of 5 million won (~3,400 USD) per visit. At the time, she reportedly didn’t have the money, so her agency covered the expenses, which were later recorded as a loan.”
He continued, “Some have questioned whether the agency pocketed the money or committed fraud, arguing that there’s no way hospital fees could amount to 5 million won.”
Lee acknowledged that, in typical cases, even emergency treatment rarely costs more than 400,000 to 1 million won(~270 to 680 USD). However, he pointed out that Kim’s situation was different. To support this, he shared a phone recording between Kim and a close acquaintance made during her lifetime.
In the recording, Kim says, “I tore the ligaments and tendons in my arm. It’s pretty bad, so I need surgery, but it’s not covered by insurance. I need about 5 million won.”
In fact, under current policy, Korea’s National Health Insurance Service does not provide coverage for self-harm. Article 53 of the National Health Insurance Act states that medical benefits will not be granted in cases where the injury or illness was intentionally caused.
Lee added, “Most people would call their family in a situation like this. But perhaps she was worried about burdening them financially or emotionally. It seems the late actress led a very lonely and difficult life.”
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