The CEO of Gold Medalist, the agency representing actor Kim Soo-hyun, has recently stepped down, drawing attention as the move coincides with ongoing legal disputes surrounding the late Kim Sae-ron.
According to TenAsia on Nov. 28, former Gold Medalist CEO Ahn Sung-su resigned about two months ago, and a former Hanwha executive has since taken the helm. Ahn joined early this year after the previous CEO exited around December last year and led the company for about nine months.
Ahn notably attended Kim Soo-hyun's March press conference in Mapo-gu, Seoul, alongside the actor's legal counsel. At the time, Kim directly addressed rumors about his relationship with Kim Sae-ron. He acknowledged that they dated as adults but firmly denied speculation that they were involved when she was a minor, saying, "That is not true."
Afterward, Kim's side filed a criminal complaint for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act against Kim Sae-ron's family and the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute, and also lodged a civil suit seeking about 12 billion won in damages. In response, Kim Sae-ron's family countersued Kim for alleged violations of the Child Welfare Act and for false accusation. The clash is now unfolding on both criminal and civil fronts.
Recently, Kim's legal team pushed back by releasing materials they say refute the claim that he dated her while she was underage. In turn, the family, through law firm Buyou, reiterated that Kim and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship when she was a minor, refusing to back down. They additionally made public what they describe as circumstantial evidence of dating, including an acquaintance's recorded testimony, notes, messages, photos, and a letter written by the late actress.
Kim Sae-ron's mother appealed against further secondary harm in their latest statement, saying, "Please wait until the investigative authorities reach a conclusion." With both sides' accounts in direct conflict, attention is focused on how the investigation and trials will play out.