Amid ongoing controversy over the cause of actress Kim Sae-ron's death last February, new details have emerged suggesting she was struggling with massive debts to her entertainment industry peers, adding a layer of tragedy to her passing.
According to a close source, approximately 5 months before her death, on September 8th last year at around 2 AM, Kim posted a cryptic message and photo on her private social media account, which she used to communicate with close friends until her death.
In the post, Kim wrote, "If I die, capture this post and share it," mentioning the names of colleagues who had helped her and adding, "To those who left me when I was at my lowest: think about what you've taken from me. I won't be in pain anymore."
Reportedly, two of Kim's acquaintances saw the post within minutes and rushed to her home in Seoul's Seongdong District, preventing a potential tragedy.
A confidant revealed, "Despite tirelessly working in acting coaching, cafes, flower shops, and bars, she was financially struggling and felt very insecure."
SBS Entertainment News has confirmed that two members of a famous K-pop group and one singer friend had each lent Kim around 100 million won. Additionally, actors A and singer-actor B, though not disclosing the exact amounts, acknowledged lending her money after a DUI incident on May 18, 2022, as she faced financial difficulties.
Singer C's representative also cautiously confirmed that they had lent Kim 12 million won in the second half of 2023 and about 8 million won in May 2024, which was transferred to Kim's family's bank account.
Furthermore, Kim had borrowed 50 million won for a housing lease deposit from businessman D, a personal acquaintance, and had borrowed approximately 60 million won from her agency, Run Entertainment, for surgery and medical expenses, which was settled after her exclusive contract ended last October.
Gold Medalist, her agency until December 2022, had prepaid a penalty of approximately 700 million won for Netflix's series "Bloodhounds" due to her DUI, which was accounted for as a loss in December 2023, a fact that came to light after her death.
The cause of Kim's death, responsibility, and rumors of her underage relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun continue to spark debates three months on.
Kim Soo-hyun's side has denied allegations of an underage relationship with Kim Sae-ron, stating, "Their relationship began when they were adults," and has filed defamation lawsuits against Hover Lab and the bereaved family. In response, the family filed a complaint against Kim Soo-hyun for violating the Child Welfare Act on the 7th.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)