After nearly a year of controversies and legal disputes surrounding actress Kim Sae-ron’s death, South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has reportedly been cleared of allegations that he dated the former actress while she was a minor. According to South Korean media reports, the accusations against the actor were false, with some of the alleged evidence found to be AI-fabricated.

On Thursday, an arrest warrant was issued against Kim Se-eui, operator of the controversial far-right YouTube channel Hoverlab. In a complaint submitted to the Seoul Gangnam Police Precinct, authorities alleged that the KakaoTalk screenshots and audio recordings presented as evidence of an inappropriate relationship had been fabricated. Investigators claimed that names in the chat logs were edited to portray Kim Soo-hyun as the other participant, while the audio file was reportedly manipulated using AI.

The complaint further stated that despite being aware of the discrepancies, Se-eui allegedly spread false rumours involving Soo-hyun and the deceased actress through his YouTube channel.

“The suspect distributed false information with the intent to defame Kim Soo-hyun, despite being fully aware that he had never been in a relationship with the deceased from when she was a minor,” police reportedly stated.

Authorities also examined an audio clip presented during a Hoverlab press conference in May 2025, which was claimed to feature Kim Sae-ron speaking about dating Kim Soo-hyun during her school years. While an initial review by the National Forensic Service remained inconclusive due to poor audio quality, subsequent analysis reportedly determined that the recording had been generated using AI voice-cloning technology.

Last year, Kim Sae-ron’s family accused the 37-year-old actor of dating her when she was a minor. The actor dismissed the allegations in his first official statement regarding the controversy at a press conference last month.

Kim Sae-ron’s family had also accused Kim Soo-hyun of engaging in sexual acts with the former actress when she was 14, allegations that were later denied by Soo-hyun’s agency.

Kim Sae-ron, who gained popularity as a child actor, passed away on February 16, coincidentally Kim Soo-hyun’s birthday. According to police reports, the 24-year-old star died by suicide at her residence.

Kim Soo-hyun was among the highest-paid actors in South Korea before the recent controversy. Reports now suggest that actor Park Hyung-sik has surpassed him in earnings per episode.

Soo-hyun, who made his acting debut in 2007 with a supporting role in the TV series Kimchi Cheese Smile, rose to fame with hit dramas such as It's Okay to Not Be Okay, My Love from the Star and Queen of Tears.

Soo-hyun’s next drama Knock-off has been temporarily shelved amid the controversies and tensions involving Sae-ron's untimely death.