The family of the late actress Kim Sae Ron has responded to rumors about her alleged marriage, stating, “We have never heard of it and had no idea.”

On March 20, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (HOVERLAB) stated, “YouTuber Lee Jin Ho uploaded a false video titled ‘The Truth Hidden by the Bereaved Family’ and later we met with the family. The bereaved family said, ‘We have never heard anything about Sae Ron being married and had no knowledge of it. We also don’t know why her former manager told Lee Jin Ho about an abortion.’”

They continued, “It is claimed that Kim Sae Ron’s manager paid 20 million KRW (~13,617 USD) for her hospital bills because no one else did, but this makes no sense. The bereaved family broke down in tears, demanding evidence. How could anyone drive a nail into the hearts of grieving parents like this?”

HOVERLAB further stated, “We met with Kim Sae Ron’s mother yesterday, and she looked like a mere skeleton. She was sobbing uncontrollably, asking if they had to mutilate her daughter’s reputation this much. We were planning to hold an emergency press conference at 5 PM today, but Kim Sae Ron’s mother said, ‘I can’t let this happen. Do I have to die for Lee Jin Ho and Kim Soo Hyun to stop tormenting us?’”

Alongside this, HOVERLAB released a letter allegedly written by Kim Sae Ron’s mother.

In it, she wrote to the late Kim Sae Ron, “I still keep all your clothes and belongings. I can’t throw anything away. Your scent still lingers on your pajamas, so I haven’t washed them. I sleep holding onto them. You kept saying you were going to die, and now… are you finally at peace?”

She continued, “What was money worth…? I should have stayed by your side longer. I was too busy working to be there in your final moments. You must have been so scared… Looking back, all I have left is regret. You suffered endlessly… Maybe I couldn’t accept seeing you let go of life, trying to live like the person the media painted you to be. But you promised me—you promised me you’d keep going no matter what.”

Kim Sae Ron’s mother recalled her daughter’s words, writing, “Mom, should we go for a walk in Hangang Park today? Mom, should we go play badminton? Mom, I drew a bright picture today, just like you said. Mom, I don’t like the dark and quiet; it scares me. Mom, mom, mom… I still hear your voice chattering beside me, and I wake up with a jolt… I kept telling you, ‘Don’t post pictures. Stay out of sight. Don’t stay out late. Don’t drink…’ But now I realize, all you wanted was to hold onto normalcy. And all I did was tell you not to, thinking I was protecting you. I’m sorry, my daughter… I thought restricting you was how I could keep you safe. I said I trusted you, but all I did was hold you back and hide you away.”

She continued, “Now they keep telling me to explain myself. To clarify things. But why? What do they expect me to say? I just… I just couldn’t let you go like this. All I ever wanted was an apology for turning you into a liar, and for something like this to never happen again. But all I get in return is people denying my existence and demanding explanations… You must have suffered so much. How painful it must have been for three years straight. Don’t worry. No matter what, your mother knows the truth. We all do. Your friends do. You always told me, ‘Don’t worry, Mom. Even if the world doesn’t know, I do.’

It must have been so overwhelming, right? I’m sorry, Ron… I’ll let you rest in peace now.”

Meanwhile, Kim Sae Ron’s bereaved family continues to assert that she was in a relationship with Kim Soo Hyun when she was still a minor. However, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency has refuted this, stating, “Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron only dated after she became an adult, from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020. The claim that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron when she was underage is false.”

Amid this, on March 19, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho released an audio recording in which he claimed that Kim Sae Ron had secretly married overseas and had undergone an abortion, further fueling controversy.