Goldmedalist, the agency representing Kim Soo Hyun, has addressed the rumor linking the South Korean actor to Kim Sae Ron.
The statement came after a photo of the two together was posted on Kim Sae Ron's Instagram Stories earlier today, Sunday, February 24, 2024.
While the photo was immediately deleted, many who saw the post started coming up with speculations, assuming the two stars are dating.
Kim Soo Hyun is currently seen in the series Queen of Tears opposite Kim Ji-won.
Many viewers also know him for his portrayals in It's Okay Not to Be Okay (2020) and My Love From The Star (2013).
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Meanwhile, Kim Sae Ron is on hiatus after she was found by the court guilty of drunk driving.
The verdict, which cost the actress 20 million won (or PHP838,740.14 based on current exchange rate) in fine, was handed down in April last year.
She was previously seen in the shows My Heart, The Queen's Classroom, Hi! School-Love On, and Secret Healer.
BASELESS RUMOR
In the statement, Goldmedalist called the dating rumors "groundless" and stated that the image the public saw was an old picture.
"The photos circulating online appear to have been taken when they belonged to the same agency in the past, and the intentions behind Kim Sae Ron's actions are entirely unclear."
The photo, which has made the rounds online, has resulted in misunderstandings and wrong speculations, lamented Goldmedalist.
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The statement further read, "Our agency will strongly respond through legal representatives at a law firm to any malicious defamation and insulting posts that damage the actor's character and reputation."
Public reactions among South Koreans about the issue are mixed.
Some netizens think that the two are indeed dating in real life, and Kim Sae Ron knew what she was doing when she uploaded the photo.
Others feel that the actress did it on purpose probably because she was envious of the success of Queen of Tears and the actor's pairing with Kim Ji-won.
One netizen, speculating that the two had a past relationship, remarked, "I don't know why she'd post this so randomly now unless she's been seeing him recently and she's jealous about all the attention his drama's been getting.”
Most fans of Kim Soo Hyun felt "relieved," believing the photo was taken long ago and "there was nothing malicious."