South Korean entertainment agency Gold Medalist is facing growing scrutiny following the death of actress Kim Sae-ron, with new reports suggesting financial distress and legal pressure may have contributed to her passing. According to Dispatch, the agency demanded nearly 700 million won ($473,000) in debt repayment from Kim in March 2024, warning of both civil and criminal legal action if the amount was not paid in full. The repayment demand, which followed her drunk driving incident in 2022, reportedly left her in financial turmoil.
Dispatch, a Korean Internet entertainment media outlet, reported that Kim Sae-ron, struggling to meet the repayment deadline of December 31, 2023, sent an emotional plea for assistance to Kim Soo-hyun, the agency's top actor and part-owner of Gold Medalist.
"Oppa, this is Sae-ron. I received the letter of certification today, that [your company] is suing me. You said that you would give me ample time, so I'm working hard, preparing to make a comeback. I will pay you back with a percentage from each work. I'm not saying that I won't pay you back, but if you suddenly ask for ₩700 million KRW (about $480,000 USD) right now, I really can't do anything. It's not that I won't, but I can't. Do you really have to take it as far as a lawsuit? Please save me... I beg of you. Give me some time," she wrote.
Dispatch reported that Kim Soo-hyun, who was previously rumored to have been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron, did not respond to her plea. In what appeared to be an effort to get his attention, Kim later posted an old photo of the two together, which reignited dating rumors. Gold Medalist denied any ongoing relationship between the two, stating, "The photo that is being spread online appears to have been taken in the past when the two were both under our management."
The agency insisted that the repayment notice sent to Kim Sae-ron was merely a procedural formality and that there was never an expectation that she would repay the amount. "We had no intentions of receiving money from Kim Sae-ron. We thought we wouldn't get it. We only followed basic procedures because there could have been a case of malpractice brought up," Gold Medalist told Dispatch. However, Dispatch noted that Kim Sae-ron's apparent distress over the repayment demand suggested she had not been informed that it was only a formality.
To raise funds, Kim Sae-ron reportedly sold her car and any convertible bonds she held, gathering approximately 200 million won ($138,000). Despite these efforts, she remained unable to meet Gold Medalist's repayment demand. The agency stated that it had covered the compensation costs required by the production company behind Bloodhounds following her DUI incident. "The production company for Bloodhounds claimed ₩700 million KRW (about $482,000 USD) in compensation for her drunk driving incident. The company paid the compensation amount in advance in her place," a Gold Medalist representative said.
On February 16, 2025, Kim Sae-ron was found dead in her residence. The date also marked Kim Soo-hyun's birthday. Her death was ruled a suicide. Dispatch later visited her apartment complex and spoke with a resident who had frequently seen her in distress. "She would cry for a long time on the stairs. I felt sorry for her and tried to console her. It seemed she had personal issues she was dealing with," the resident told Dispatch, adding that they had noticed a wound on her wrist. "I thought that this young woman had such a difficult life. I didn't even know she was an actress. I just thought she was someone who came to live in Seoul with her younger sister."
Gold Medalist publicly dismissed Dispatch's findings, calling them "false facts." However, the report included statements from a source close to Kim Soo-hyun, who claimed that the actor's alleged past relationship with Kim Sae-ron was a key factor in why the agency would never officially acknowledge their ties. "Kim Sae-ron's age is the issue, which is why they will never officially admit to dating." the source told Dispatch.
