The late Kim Sae Ron was reportedly under financial strain, including a 700 million KRW (approximately 480,000 USD) debt. However, her former agency, Gold Medalist, claims they never intended to collect the amount, leading to conflicting accounts.
According to a Dispatch report, Kim Sae Ron received a legal notice of debt repayment from Gold Medalist in March 2024. The document stated that legal action would be taken if the full amount wasn’t deposited promptly. At that time, Kim Sae Ron had just signed a one-year lease for an apartment the previous month. The media outlet reported that she likely experienced significant financial pressure.
A neighbor living in the same building as Kim Sae Ron recalled, “Kim Sae Ron moved in last year. She signed a one-year lease with monthly rent,” adding, “I saw her sitting on the stairs crying for a long time. She looked so sad that I tried to comfort her.”
There were also accounts that the actress had several wounds on her wrist. Another neighbor said, “I thought this young woman was living such a difficult life. At that time, I didn’t know she was an actress,” explaining, “I just thought, ‘She moved up to Seoul with her younger sister.'”
Kim Sae Ron was known to have faced financial difficulties after her DUI incident. While working part-time jobs to make ends meet, she was reportedly deeply troubled after receiving the legal notice demanding repayment of 700 million KRW. Kim Sae Ron sent a text message to Kim Soo Hyun, a co-founder of Gold Medalist and her alleged ex-boyfriend, pleading for an extension on the repayment date, but she never received a reply.
Subsequently, Gold Medalist explained regarding the legal notice sent to Kim Sae Ron, “We had no intention of collecting (the money) from Kim Sae Ron. Rather, we thought we couldn’t collect it. We only followed the most basic procedures because the company could face embezzlement issues.”
Meanwhile, Kim Sae Ron was found dead on February 16th—Kim Soo Hyun’s birthday and just two days before she was scheduled to move out and relocate.
>> Kim Sae Ron’s Debt to Kim Soo Hyun’s Agency Was for ‘Bloodhounds’ Reshoots, Not DUI-Related Damages
