How does South Korea's society treat celebrities in crisis? A new case raises questions

SEOUL, South Korea — A young actor’s suicide in South Korea. Allegations of an underage relationship. They are part of a growing drama in the Asian entertainment world that raises questions about society’s treatment of celebrities in crisis, with harsh media and online commentary amplifying their lowest moments.

This week, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun publicly denied allegations that he dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was under the age of sexual consent. His emotional press conference followed Kim Sae-ron’s suicide in February, which reignited allegations that they were romantically involved.

Here’s what we know about the case.

Who was Kim Sae-ron?

Kim Sae-ron was once one of South Korea's most promising film stars. She began acting at age 9 in the 2009 film “A Brand New Life,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She gained further recognition with “The Man from Nowhere” (2010) and “A Girl at My Door” (2014), also invited to Cannes.

Her career halted in May 2022 after she crashed her car in Seoul while driving under the influence. Despite offering a public apology and reportedly paying compensation to shops that lost power because of the crash, she faced relentless negative attention.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE: In South Korea, callers can receive 24-hour counseling through the suicide prevention hotline 1577-0199, the “Life Line” service at 1588-9191, the “Hope Phone” at 129 and the “Youth Phone” at 1388.