YouTuber arrested for defaming Kim Soo-hyun with AI-generated evidence, police say

YouTuber Defamed Movie Star Using A.I., South Korean Police Say

They arrested the man, accusing him of fabricating a voice recording to implicate Kim Soo-hyun in dating a minor. Last year, a YouTuber accused Kim Soo-hyun, one of South Korea's best-known actors, of dating an actress when she was still a minor. He denied the claim but his career rapidly derailed, reflecting the unforgiving scrutiny celebrities can face in South Korea. On Tuesday, the police arrested the YouTuber, Kim Se-ui, on charges including spreading false information. He is accused of doctoring text messages and fabricating an audio recording using artificial intelligence to defame the actor. Mr. Kim, who is known for publishing sensational and gossip-driven content about celebrities and politicians on his YouTube channel, Hover Lab, denies the charges. Representatives for Mr. Kim, the actor, said he had been vindicated. "At last, the truth has been proven," his agency, Gold Medalist, said in a statement on Wednesday. The actor got embroiled in the controversy after the actress Kim Sae-ron, who became famous as a child, and whom he had once dated, was found dead last February. Her career had suffered for years after she was caught driving under the influence in 2022. The police ruled her death a suicide. That ignited intense scrutiny into her personal life, including rumors surrounding her romantic relationship with Mr. Kim, who is known for playing the alien lead in the melodrama "My Love from the Star" and a North Korean spy in "Secretly, Greatly." He faced immense backlash after Hover Lab published what it said were text messages exchanged by the couple when Ms. Kim was 15 and Mr. Kim was 28, and an audio recording in which she said that Mr. Kim had started dating her when she was in middle school. It also accused Mr. Kim of sexually grooming Ms. Kim when she was a minor, and ignoring her when she was in financial trouble. At the time, Hover Lab said that it had obtained some of the information from Ms. Kim's family. A lawyer for the family, whose role in the case is unclear, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. Mr. Kim, the actor, had filed defamation cases against the family and the YouTuber. Before entering the court on Tuesday, Mr. Kim, the YouTuber, told reporters that he denied any wrongdoing and said that the audio recording had been verified by the National Forensic Service, a government agency, as authentic. "The arrest warrant is clearly based on falsities," he said. The forensic service referred a request for comment to the Gangnam Police Station, which is investigating the matter. The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr. Kim, the actor, denied the accusations against him at an emotional news conference in March 2025. "I can't admit to something I didn't do," he said. "I did not date the deceased when she was a minor." Since then, he has not appeared in any new shows or modeling gigs in South Korea.

Kim Soo-hyun: YouTuber arrested for allegedly defaming Korean actor with AI

South Korean authorities have arrested a YouTuber who allegedly made defamatory claims about actor Kim Soo-hyun, fuelling a scandal that halted the A-lister's career. Police and prosecutors allege that Kim Se-ui, who runs the popular YouTuber channel Hover Lab, had manipulated evidence to falsely claim that Kim Soo-hyun had dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor - allegations that Kim Soo-hyun denies. The Seoul Central District Court granted an arrest warrant for the YouTuber on Tuesday, citing concerns that he might destroy evidence or flee. In a statement on Wednesday, Kim Soo-hyun's agency said that the "truth has been proven". "The investigation confirmed that all suspicions and evidence raised by Hover Lab against Kim Soo-hyun were unfounded," said the statement, which also thanked the supporters who had stood by the actor. Speaking to reporters outside the court on Tuesday, ahead of the court's decision, YouTuber Kim Se-ui denied the charges and said the warrant "did not even properly organise the basic facts". He said he would lodge complaints against the police and prosecutors who requested his arrest. The allegations against Kim Soo-hyun surfaced last year, shortly after Kim Sae-ron killed herself at the age of 24. Months after her death, the YouTuber channel Hover Lab, which has nearly a million subscribers, posted a voice recording in which the actress could be heard saying she had been dating Kim Soo-hyun since she was in middle school. The police claim that the voice recording was generated by AI. They also allege that the YouTuber had manipulated screenshots of text messages sent from the actress's phone to make it look like she had been texting Kim Soo-hyun. Hover Lab is among the most controversial YouTube channels in South Korea, and frequently posts commentary on politics and entertainment. It has peddled claims held by fringe South Korean political groups, including those regarding the rigging of elections. It is also a popular channel for celebrity gossip. The allegations against Kim Soo-hyun shocked South Korea, where he is the star of multiple hit TV shows and features in advertisements across the country. The claims made by Kim Se-ui's Hover Lab "collapsed Kim Soo-hyun's social base and his economic activities across the board, and destroyed the basis for his professional survival", according to a police filing reported by news outlet JoongAng Ilbo. Police also say Kim Soo-hyun is "still receiving psychiatric treatment". The actor has not made official public appearances since a tearful press conference in March 2025, where he said that he had dated Kim Sae-ron for a year, but only when she was an adult. "I can't admit to something I didn't do," he said. That month, he filed criminal complaints and lawsuits against the YouTuber and the actress' family for making false accusations. Kim Soo-hyun's press conference was mentioned in the statement by the actor's agency on Wednesday. "At a press conference a year ago, Kim Soo-hyun promised, 'I won't ask you to believe me. I will definitely prove myself'", the statement said. "The past year has been solely dedicated to keeping that promise."

Kim Soo-hyun case signals dangerous new era of AI cybercrime - The Korea Times

After an arrest warrant was sought for the notorious YouTuber who allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to spread malicious rumors about actor Kim Soo-hyun, the resulting damages lawsuit is expected to expand from 12 billion won to a staggering 30 billion won ($20 million). Kim Se-ui, operator of the controversial YouTube channel HoverLab (Garo Sero Institute), was taken into custody Wednesday. The case gained nationwide attention last year when the channel released an audio recording of deceased actor Kim Sae-ron allegedly discussing her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun, sparking intense public backlash and forcing the actor to halt his activities for over a year. However, police have now concluded that the audio was generated using AI voice technology. The actor's legal representative, Ko Sang-rok, characterized the incident as unprecedented. "They not only manipulated public perception by spreading unverified allegations and distorting narratives, but even fabricated core evidence such as KakaoTalk messages and voices," Ko said. The case caused immense financial and professional damage to the actor, effectively freezing his advertisements, overseas schedules and content. Notably, it disrupted the release schedule of "Knock Off," a new Disney+ series with a 60 billion won budget. "'Queen of Tears' was a massive global hit, but after Kim Se-ui raised these false allegations, everything came to a complete halt," Ko said. "Last year, we filed a 120 billion won damage lawsuit, but based on the data we have currently submitted to the investigative authorities regarding the actual damages incurred, we now estimate the losses to be around 30 billion won." Industry experts view this case as a highly symbolic turning point. They note that while malicious YouTubers, known as "cyber wreckers" here, relied on selective editing or provocative speculation in the past, this incident represents a "technology-integrated crime" that weaponized deepfakes and AI voice manipulation. "The case demonstrates the immense destructive power generated when AI technology meets a plausible narrative," said culture critic Jung Duk-hyun. "Although the truth was ultimately revealed, I think it's only because it was someone of Kim Soo-hyun's stature that he was able to track it down and uncover the truth. An ordinary person without such means would have been completely ruined." Jung warned that the financial incentives for cyber wreckers who monetize their video content make the recurrence of such crimes extremely likely. However, he cautioned against unconditional regulations on AI technology itself. "Video production currently relies on technologies like de-aging, so we cannot ban the technology entirely," Jung explained. "Rather, regulations should focus on heavily punishing the specific areas of misuse and making those legal boundaries crystal clear." Despite the police investigation ostensibly clearing his name, critics note that Kim Soo-hyun still faces obstacles in fully restoring his public image. Recent friction with the family of the late Sulli -- who co-starred with Kim in the 2017 movie "Real" -- regarding alleged coercion during the filming process has kept the actor under intense public scrutiny. Nonetheless, Kim is expected to make a comeback. Culture critic Ha Jae-keun cautiously predicted a resumption of activities. "Public sentiment toward Kim Soo-hyun reversed after the police announced their investigation results. With growing public support, views are emerging that he may soon release his delayed drama." Regarding the eventual release of "Knock Off," however, Disney+ maintained a conservative stance, stating, "There are no changes to report at this time."

Can Kim Soo-hyun recover from a year of scandal? - The Korea Times

A year after actor Kim Soo-hyun broke down in tears at a high-profile press conference over allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron, the controversy has entered yet another dramatic phase. Kim Se-ui, head of controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Institute, was taken into custody this week as police reportedly concluded that audio files previously presented as evidence against Kim Soo-hyun were generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. According to the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday, Judge Boo Dong-sik approved an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui over allegations including defamation, attempted coercion, intimidation and violations of laws related to distributing illegally produced content. The court said there were concerns about destruction of evidence and flight risk. Kim Se-ui is accused of spreading false claims through YouTube broadcasts suggesting that Kim Sae-ron's death was linked to Kim Soo-hyun. He also publicly alleged that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor, a claim the actor has repeatedly denied. The case gained nationwide attention last year after Kim Se-ui held a press conference and released what he claimed was an audio recording of Kim Sae-ron discussing shocking details involving Kim Soo-hyun. The recording quickly went viral online and fueled intense public backlash against the actor. However, local media reports now say police believe the audio was artificially generated using AI voice technology. According to a detention warrant request from Seoul Gangnam Police Station cited by JoongAng Ilbo on May 21, investigators said Kim Se-ui spread false information for financial gain, including YouTube revenue. Police reportedly said that Kim Se-ui "knew that actor Kim did not date the deceased when she was a minor" but still distributed false claims. Investigators also reportedly concluded that KakaoTalk messages previously disclosed by Kim Se-ui's side had been manipulated. Kim Se-ui denied all allegations during his court appearance. "The arrest warrant is filled with obvious falsehoods," he said. "It is sloppy and does not even organize the basic facts properly." He also said he does not acknowledge any of the charges and argued that the National Forensic Service had said it was impossible to definitively determine whether the recordings were AI-generated. He said relying on analysis from private companies to claim manipulation effectively disregards the national agency's findings. The controversy severely affected Kim Soo-hyun's career at the height of his popularity. At the time, the actor was enjoying massive global success from the hit drama "Queen of Tears" when allegations surrounding his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron exploded online. On March 31 last year, Kim Soo-hyun personally addressed the controversy in a tearful press conference. During the appearance, he acknowledged that he had dated Kim Sae-ron, but said the relationship began only after she became an adult. Since then, Kim Soo-hyun and his agency Gold Medalist have continued legal action against Kim Se-ui and others over alleged defamation and the spread of false information. With Kim Se-ui now jailed and police reportedly treating key evidence as AI-generated fabrication, the case has once again become a major topic in online discourse. Public attention is now shifting toward the outcome of the police investigation and whether Kim Soo-hyun will be able to fully recover his public image after more than a year of controversy.

Kim Soo-hyun's agency says 'truth proven' through arrest of YouTuber charged with defamation - The Korea Times

Actor Kim Soo-hyun's agency said Wednesday that "truth has been proven" following the arrest of a conservative YouTuber charged with spreading false and fabricated information about the actor over his relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron. On Tuesday, the Seoul Central District Court granted the arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, operator of the YouTube channel Hover Lab, who is accused of defaming the actor by falsely claiming that the actor had dated the late actress while she was a minor and that pressure from his side to repay a debt led to her death early last year. The YouTuber is also accused of creating doctored audio recordings of the late actress using artificial intelligence technology to falsely claim she had sexual relations with the actor when she was in middle school. "At last, the truth has been proven through a legally established process and a thorough probe. ... (We) deeply thank investigative authorities for their efforts in uncovering the truth based on objective evidence," Gold Medalist, which represents the actor, said in a statement. The agency noted that the various allegations raised by the YouTuber have been confirmed to be false and that the court acknowledged the gravity of the charges, including defamation and blackmail. "At a press conference held a year ago, Kim vowed to prove the truth. The past year for him has been solely devoted to keeping that promise," the agency said, thanking everyone who believed in Kim and waited for him during that time. Hover Lab raised the allegations in March 2025, after the actress was found dead at her home the previous month, following an apparent suicide at the age of 24. Later that month, Kim held a press conference and acknowledged dating the actress while rejecting claims their relationship took place when she was a minor. He also filed defamation complaints against the YouTuber and the late actress's family.