“Gold Medalist’s Notice Sent to the Late Kim Saeron”
Client: Gold Medalist Inc.
Recipient: Kim Ah-im [Previously: Kim Saeron]
Subject: Urging Debt Repayment
As you are aware, on November 22, 2022, you entered into a loan agreement with our client, borrowing the amount of 686,409,653 won and agreeing to repay it by December 31, 2023. However, despite the due date for repayment having arrived, you have failed to repay the loan. Therefore, our law firm, acting on behalf of our client, urges you to promptly repay the loan by depositing the full amount into the account provided below. Should you fail to make the payment, our client will take legal action against you, both civilly and criminally.
—
Certificate of Content
In March 2024, Gold Medalist sent a certificate of content to Kim Saeron regarding the repayment of debt. The content was a request to repay the damages that her former agency had paid on her behalf.
Gold Medalist warned, “If the full amount of the loan (700 million won) is not deposited within a prompt period, legal action, both civil and criminal, will be taken.”
At the time, Kim Saeron was in financial difficulty.
“Kim Saeron has been the breadwinner for her family as a young woman. She is struggling financially due to the payment of compensation.” (Kim Saeron’s lawyer, 1st trial)
Kim Saeron was the #1 celebrity of Gold Medalist. However, contract renewal did not happen. She likely thought the 700 million won issue was implicitly settled at that point.
For Kim Saeron, “full payment” and “legal action” were more than just pressure, they must have been terrifying. In the end, the person she turned to for help was Kim Soohyun. She sent out an SOS to her former lover.
“Oppa, this is Sae Ron. I received the letter of certification today, that [your company] is suing me. You said that you would give me ample time, so I’m working hard, preparing to make a comeback. I will pay you back with a percentage from each work. I’m not saying that I won’t pay you back, but if you suddenly ask for ₩700 million KRW (about $480,000 USD) right now, I really can’t do anything. It’s not that I won’t, but I can’t. Do you really have to take it as far as a lawsuit? Please save me… I beg of you. Give me some time.” Cr. Koreaboo
‘Dispatch’ obtained a message. The sender was Kim Saeron, and the recipient was Kim Soohyun. It was sent on March 24, 2024.
Kim Saeron and Kim Soohyun were once lovers. Through that relationship, Kim Saeron signed an exclusive contract with Gold Medalist. (This agency started as Kim Soohyun’s personal agency.)
Kim Soohyun did not respond to her text. In response, Kim Saeron posted a photo she had taken with Kim Soohyun. It was message asking for contact.
Kim Sae-ron: Who is this?
Dispatch (Kim So-jung, Journalist): Sae-ron, this is Dispatch reporter Kim So-jung. I sent you a message on KakaoTalk since I couldn’t reach you via text. Is it difficult to get in touch with you?
Kim Sae-ron: Yes, I am reading your messages. I apologize for not being able to respond promptly as I was a bit busy.
Dispatch: I completely understand your situation. I contacted you after seeing the report. It was mentioned that you would be making a statement. Should I wait for your statement?
Kim Sae-ron: Ah, no, I never said I would be making a statement. I just mentioned that I might need some time to organize my thoughts.
Kim Sae-ron: I would appreciate it if you do not turn this conversation into an article. I’m only responding out of courtesy because you reached out.
Dispatch: Oh, I only contacted you after seeing the report, thinking you might have something to say. Understood! I won’t write an article. No need to worry! Please feel free to reach out if you ever want to say something!!
Kim Sae-ron: Thank you 🙂 Have a great day.
(Notification: The user is no longer available for conversation.)
In fact, the agency’s statement doesn’t align.
Kim Saeron’s situation hasn’t changed. What has changed, however, is Kim Soohyun’s side.
We don’t know what kind of conversations took place between Kim Saeron and the agency. Kim Saeron didn’t want any reports, and the agency only issued an unilaterally written press release.
What Kim Saeron gained and lost from a single photo are both significant. While the burden of her debt was eased, she acquired the nickname of ‘self-initiated romance’.
“The current dating rumors regarding Kim Soohyun are completely false. The photos appear to be from when we were in the same agency, and we cannot understand the intention behind Kim Saeron’s actions.” (Gold Medalost)
Kim Saeron passed away on February 16, 2025. Coincidentally, that day was also Kim Soohyun’s birthday.
Dispatch asked her agency again about the issue of debt repayment.
GM: The production company of ‘Bloodhounds’ claimed 700 million won in damages due to a drunk driving accident. The company paid the 700 million won on Kim Saeron’s behalf.
D: Why was the contents certification sent?
GM: We never intended to collect money from Kim Saeron. We didn’t think we could. There could have been an issue of embezzlement in the company (if we didn’t follow the procedure), so we just followed the basic procedure.
D: Did you inform Kim Saeron that it was just a formal procedure?
GM: At that time, I believe the manager contacted Kim Saeron to inform her about it. We needed the documentation process.
D: Was Kim Saeron anxious after receiving the contents certification?
GM: We had told Kim Saeron when the company lent her money. We knew we wouldn’t be able to get such a large amount back. We said, “If you make a profit or have enough, you can pay it back.”
D: How much was the compensation for Kim Saeron’s accident?
GM: The vehicle involved in the accident was not repairable, so she sold it as a used car. That was about 35 million won. After that, we didn’t receive any further payments.
However, according to Dispatch’s investigation, Kim Saeron was not aware of such formal procedures. For example, she used the profits from her investment in ‘Golden S’ to cover the damages from advertising contracts.
Penalty
Kim Saeron did her best within the limits she could handle. She sold assets such as her car and CB stocks, and used more than 200 million won for compensation.
The agency was well aware of this situation. They knew she didn’t have the ability to repay. So why did they send the ‘contents certification’? This cannot be explained by simply calling it a formal procedure.
(Meanwhile, ‘Golden S’ is a KOSDAQ-listed company acquired by Gold Medalist in collaboration with Siwon School. Kim Saeron participated as an investor in the CB investment as a member of the association. Gold Medalist is a company 100% owned by Kim Soohyun and Lee Love(이로베?). Kim Soohyun and Lee Love made more than five times their investment during the acquisition process of Golden S.)
On the day Kim Saeron passed away, ‘Dispatch’ visited the scene and was able to meet a neighbor who lived in the same building.
The neighbor said, “When I saw the news about a d**th, I knew it would be Kim Saeron,” and shared an anecdote about her, saying, “She often cried in the corridor stairs, so I remember her.”
Neighbor: “She moved in last year (February 2023). She signed a one-year lease for the apartment. I heard she was planning to move out on February 18.”
D: “Have you ever seen Kim Saeron?”
Neighbor: “I saw her sitting on the stairs of the building, crying for a long time. I felt sorry for her, so I comforted her. It seemed like she had some personal issues. I listened to her vent.”
The neighbor also mentioned noticing scars on Kim Saeron’s wrist.
“She had scars around her wrist. I thought, ‘This young woman must have had a really difficult life.’ At that point, I didn’t even know she was an actress. I just thought she was living in Seoul with her younger sister.”
Unfounded Facts
Gold Medalist released an official statement.
“Unfounded facts.”
‘Dispatch’ confirmed their relationship through multiple sources. There are more testimonies supporting the truth rather than falsehood.
A close acquaintance of Kim Soohyun said, “The issue is Kim Saeron’s age, so there is absolutely no way to acknowledge the relationship.”
Their relationship was an open secret. It’s not something to be dismissed as ‘unfounded facts’ or ‘baseless rumors.’ (As a result) Kim Saeron has been labeled with the term ‘self-initiated romance.’
original post: here
Kim Saeron’s message from Garosero (using her cousin’s number)
original post: here
