South Korean prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, the controversial head of YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, over allegations tied to the ongoing legal battle involving actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron.
According to reporting obtained by the Korean publication New Daily, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office filed the warrant request on the 19th, stating there was sufficient justification for detention in a case involving alleged violations of South Korea’s Special Act on Sexual Violence Crimes, including the distribution of illegally edited or manipulated materials.
A court hearing to determine whether Kim Se-ui will be formally detained is scheduled for the 26th at Seoul Central District Court.
The Allegations Against Kim Se-ui
The case stems from broadcasts and press conferences in which Kim Se-ui repeatedly claimed that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor. Kim Soo-hyun has denied the allegations and filed criminal complaints.
Police argued that Kim Se-ui repeatedly presented unverified or false claims through YouTube broadcasts and public press conferences, including allegations that:
- Kim Soo-hyun had a sexual relationship with Kim Sae-ron while she was underage
- Pressure from Kim Soo-hyun’s side over debt repayment contributed to Kim Sae-ron’s death
- Investigators also accused Kim Se-ui of manipulating KakaoTalk screenshots to make conversations appear as though they were directly between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron.
According to police, the original chat records reportedly listed the other participant as “Unknown.” Authorities allege that Kim Se-ui inserted Kim Soo-hyun’s photo into the profile section and changed the displayed name from “Unknown” to Kim Soo-hyun before presenting the chats publicly.
Police further claimed that Kim Se-ui played an AI-generated audio file during a press conference that allegedly imitated Kim Sae-ron’s voice while making additional accusations against Kim Soo-hyun.
Investigators stated there are substantial grounds to suspect defamation, spreading false information, and violations of South Korea’s Information and Communications Network Act.
Why Kim Soo-hyun’s Involvement Made the Story Explode
The controversy became especially explosive in South Korea because Kim Soo-hyun is not just another actor involved in a celebrity scandal. He is widely considered one of the country’s biggest Hallyu stars and one of the most commercially valuable actors in the Korean entertainment industry.
Kim rose to massive fame through hit dramas such as Dream High, Moon Embracing the Sun, My Love from the Star, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, and Queen of Tears, the latter becoming one of the highest-rated cable dramas in Korean television history.
Beyond television, Kim Soo-hyun has long been considered one of South Korea’s top endorsement celebrities, representing luxury brands, finance companies, cosmetics, fashion labels, and major consumer products both domestically and internationally.
The allegations surrounding Kim Sae-ron and the subsequent media storm significantly impacted his public image. Several brands reportedly distanced themselves from him amid the controversy, and online backlash intensified as the claims spread across YouTube, social media, and Korean online communities.
The case also became a broader cultural flashpoint in South Korea, fueling debates over celebrity privacy, online defamation, YouTube-driven scandal culture, and the growing influence of independent livestream media on public opinion.
Police Concluded Underage Relationship Claims Were False
New details from the arrest warrant application reportedly show that police concluded the allegations that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor were false.
According to the report, investigators believe Kim Se-ui knowingly spread false information for financial motives tied to YouTube revenue and publicity.
Police reportedly stated that Kim Se-ui was aware there was no evidence Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron during her minor years, yet continued distributing the claims publicly with the intent to damage the actor’s reputation.
Police Allege KakaoTalk Messages Were Edited
Investigators also claim that KakaoTalk conversations previously presented as evidence of a relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron had been manipulated.
According to police, Kim Se-ui allegedly received screenshots of conversations between Kim Sae-ron and an unidentified individual from 2016, then edited portions of the material — including changing the name of the other participant to “Kim Soo-hyun.”
Authorities reportedly identified seven separate edits or alterations in the materials that were later shown publicly.
Police further alleged that the materials were intentionally presented in a way that made the conversations appear authentic despite uncertainty surrounding the actual identity of the other participant.
AI Audio Allegedly Used During Press Conference
The report also states that police believe an audio recording played during a 2025 press conference had been manipulated using AI technology.
At the time, Kim Se-ui publicly claimed the recording supported allegations that Kim Soo-hyun had been involved with Kim Sae-ron since her middle school years.
He additionally alleged that Kim Soo-hyun’s side attempted to pay ₩4 billion KRW — roughly $2.9 million USD — to obtain the recording and later tried to intimidate the source after the offer was rejected.
Police concluded those allegations were also false.
Kim Soo-hyun’s Career Reportedly Suffered Major Financial Damage
According to the warrant application, investigators believe the controversy caused significant reputational and financial harm to Kim Soo-hyun.
Police stated that the scandal disrupted the actor’s professional career, damaged his commercial standing, and led to the loss of multiple endorsement deals.
Authorities also noted that Kim Soo-hyun is reportedly undergoing psychiatric treatment amid the fallout.
The filing further claims the actor is now facing multiple lawsuits from advertisers tied to “social controversy” clauses in endorsement contracts, with the total amount reportedly reaching approximately ₩17.4 billion KRW, or roughly $12.5 million USD.
Family Attorney Also Reportedly Booked as a Suspect
One of the most surprising developments is that the attorney representing Kim Sae-ron’s family was also reportedly booked by investigators.
Police allegedly concluded that the lawyer not only helped distribute the materials to Kim Se-ui, but also participated in amplifying and reproducing the claims in a coordinated manner.
Kim Soo-hyun’s attorney reportedly described the move as highly unusual, noting that it is rare for a lawyer representing a party in a public dispute to later become classified as a criminal suspect in the same investigation.
Prosecutors Cite Risk of Evidence Destruction and Psychological Instability
Police cited several reasons for requesting detention, including:
- the seriousness of the alleged offenses
- risk of repeat behavior
- concerns about evidence destruction
- possible witness intimidation
- flight risk
However, one section of the filing has drawn particular attention in South Korea.
Police reportedly argued that Kim Se-ui could be at risk of an “extreme choice,” referencing the 2023 death of former Garo Sero Institute contributor Kim Yong-ho, who died by suicide days before a scheduled pretrial detention hearing in a separate case.
Authorities argued that if Kim Se-ui were formally indicted and faced trial, the psychological pressure from multiple investigations and public controversies could intensify significantly.
Police additionally claimed that key evidence may still be vulnerable to tampering, noting that Kim Sae-ron’s father has reportedly refused to submit the actress’s final cellphone to investigators despite requests.
Kim Se-ui Calls the Warrant Request “Absurd”
Kim Se-ui strongly denied the allegations during a phone interview with the publication.
He argued that police are unfairly labeling evidence as manipulated even though South Korea’s National Forensic Service reportedly concluded it could not determine whether the audio file in question had been AI-generated.
“They concluded it was impossible to determine whether the file was AI-manipulated,” Kim said. “But police are now presenting it as definitively AI-generated. That doesn’t make sense.”
Kim also claimed the KakaoTalk messages shown publicly were reconstructed graphics rather than original screenshots, and said this had already been explained during the press conference.
Regarding allegations that he spread unverified information in other cases, Kim insisted his broadcasts were based on verified facts and accused authorities of attempting to silence him.
He also criticized investigators for citing Kim Sae-ron’s father’s refusal to hand over the phone as part of the argument for detaining him, calling the reasoning illogical.
