The late South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron was listed as a creditor in her father’s bankruptcy case, with court records confirming she had covered more than ₩250 million KRW (approximately $180,000 USD) in debt on his behalf before her death.
According to filings from the Uijeongbu District Court, Kim’s father — identified only by the initial A — filed for personal bankruptcy in December 2020. He was discharged in March 2023, when Kim was 20 years old.
The documents show that Kim was among over 20 creditors, many of whom were tied to loans stemming from her father’s failed business ventures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kim was not only finding it impossible to call in the KRW 250 million she was owed but it is also believed that she had her own considerable personal responsibilities.
Her total debt, confirmed by reports from outlets including Money Today and bnt News, was estimated at approximately ₩1.2 billion KRW (around $870,000 USD). The amount included loans from friends, her agency, and breach-of-contract penalties.
Kim’s debt allegedly broke down as follows:
KRW 100 million to each of the two idols (“and one singer friend”);
₩60 million KRW borrowed from her agency for medical expenses;
₩700 million KRW in pre-paid compensation to her former agency, Gold Medalist, due to her DUI-related contract termination in 2022.
Kim faced financial troubles, suffering a failed 2021 restaurant venture in which she had invested.
The business was technically under the name of a friend and shut down in 2024 after incurring back rent and losing its security deposit.
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Despite her attempts to utilize her show business contacts to promote the business, the venture failed within three years.
Her DUI in 2022 — an incident that caused damage to public infrastructure, including a transformer — resulted in more legal trouble and fines.
During her trial in 2023, her legal team stated that Kim served as the “sole breadwinner” for her family and faced “financial hardship impacting herself and her family.”
Her family has disputed those claims in the years since she was killed.
In a statement released a month after her passing, family attorneys said the reports of her being the family’s head were “false and unworthy of attention.”
Kim, who debuted as a child actress and rose to fame with roles in The Man from Nowhere (2010) and Hi! School – Love On (2014) has increasingly come under the spotlight since her 2022 drunk driving incident.
She had largely withdrawn from public life in the months leading up to her death.
Her final appearance was in the short film Guitar Man, where she left a haunting message: “I’m scared… I want to let it all go.”
The details of Kim’s financial situation, family environment, and final years have continued to be a source of public interest, and fans and netizens alike have expressed grief and concern for the struggles she endured alone.
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