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A tearful Kim Soo-hyun, who has been at the centre of a controversy that has rocked the South Korean entertainment industry, finally addressed a press conference. He started by saying, "Firstly, I am sorry. Because of me, I think so many people are suffering.
And also I feel sorry that the late actor [Kim Sae-ron] isn't able to rest in peace." 'I should have said something..
.' The controversy, which has been deeply personal for the actor, centers around his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron and the impact his silence had on both their lives. Soo-hyun said, "I consider myself a coward.
I have always been too preoccupied with holding on to what I have. I couldn’t even trust the goodwill that came my way, always fearing loss, harm, and running away, denying everything. That’s why it took me so long to stand here today.
" The actor admitted that his hesitation to speak out had prolonged the suffering of his fans and his agency, as well as those close to him. "So I thought about what it would have been like if I had just said everything. If I had done so, my fans and my agency who have done so much to make this press conference would suffer less.
" Soo-hyun's struggle to address the controversy stemmed from his fears about the consequences of his words. "Every time something about me and [Kim Sae-ron] was exposed, I thought to myself, 'let's reveal everything.' I kept thinking about speaking directly and ending this hell-like situation.
I hesitated every time, thinking about the impact my decisions would have on others." On addressing Sae-ron's photos At the height of the controversy, when Kim Sae-ron posted a picture of them together during the airing of Queen of Tears , Soo-hyun had denied their relationship. The picture, which resurfaced years after their year-long relationship ended, reignited public speculation.
"I was together with her for about a year, about four years before the drama aired," Soo-hyun explained. "But at that time, I denied our relationship. I fully understand that criticising my choice is justified.
" Soo-hyun acknowledged the public's skepticism about his words, understanding that trust had been eroded. "I understand that people don’t trust what I say about what happened between me and [Kim Sae-ron]. But because I only have one chance [to explain this], I would really appreciate it if you would listen to what I have to say.
" The actor reflected on the difficult decision to remain silent during the airing of Queen of Tears , a project that he carried as its lead. He weighed the consequences of admitting to his relationship at the time. "What would have happened if I had admitted to a yearlong relationship? What would happen to the actors, the staff who were working overnight, and the production team who had everything staked on that project? What would happen to our agency's employees?" He said that in every difficult decision, he chose the celebrity persona over his true self.
"Whenever there was a situation and the choice for Kim Soo-hyun as a human being and Kim Soo-hyun as a celebrity came up, I think I always chose in favor of the celebrity." He added, "Could I really make that decision just for my peace of mind? The more I thought of it, the more I thought that shouldn’t be what I do." Kim Soo-hyun mentioned the weight of his words and the consequences they might bring.
"How would my words return to me?" he asked. He continued, "But since I am that kind of person, I thought I should be saying it. I have a lot of worries, even at this moment.
I am anxious." Kim Soo-hyun, visibly distressed, reflected on the course of events that led to the controversy, expressing regret over his past decisions. "If I had listened, maybe a situation where the late actor’s and my private lives were disclosed would not have happened," he said, acknowledging the pivotal moments where his choices could have changed everything.
During this turbulent time, he revealed that some had advised him to take a more passive approach: "Just let it be. Just accept things if you are willing to manage the risk. Then you will be out of people's minds, and then you can prepare for a comeback later.
" However, despite these suggestions, Soo-hyun said he was silent, understanding that it may not have been the right path in the long run. He added, "I would not have to be threatened every day about uploading certain photos tomorrow and revealing something. And there wouldn’t have been a situation where [Kim Sae-ron] was defamed by having her private life exposed through photos.
" 'She wasn't a minor when we dated' Soo-hyun vehemently denied rumors regarding his relationship with Kim Sae-ron, specifically addressing the claims that they had been involved when she was a minor. "I never dated [Kim Sae-ron] when she was a minor," he asserted, making it clear that those accusations were false. Despite the pressure surrounding him, Soo-hyun explained why he couldn’t remain silent.
"But I couldn't let it be. I couldn't accept [them] coercing me to take what's fake as the truth," he said. "Our relationship was like any other normal couple.
" Soo-hyun spoke about his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron, describing it as one built on "good feelings" before they eventually broke up. "We dated with good feelings and after some time, we broke up," he explained. "After that, we weren't able to contact each other like we used to.
Just like any other couple, contacting a lover after breaking up is a very cautious thing." Kim also addressed rumors surrounding Kim Sae-ron's tragic choice, firmly denying any involvement. "And it is not true that she had made this tragic choice because of me or my agency pressuring her over a debt.
" Soo-hyun reflected on the 'emotional turmoil' he experienced, admitting that after the breakup, he and Kim Sae-ron were living separate lives, leaving him uncertain about how to navigate the situation. "We were already living our own lives, and I didn’t know what to say," he confessed. "This may just sound like an excuse.
I did think I might as well just listen to whatever people say and stay silent." He acknowledged the overwhelming love he had received over the years, but also the constant misunderstandings and rumors that followed him. "I always received overwhelming love, and that was often followed by a lot of misunderstandings as well.
Sometimes rumors just circulate as if they are facts. I thought that was my burden to carry." He also addressed a specific rumor that had surfaced during the controversy, revealing his awareness of the struggles faced by those around him.
"From YouTube, I heard that the former CEO of the agency was having a hard time because of me when the drunk driving incident happened," he shared. "But I was aware that the late actor was in a relationship with someone else. So I was very careful about contacting her.
" Regarding the family's pressure: Speaking about the family, he said, "But the family of the late actor, just because I am the ex-boyfriend of the late actor, is asserting that I pushed her to death," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "They are demanding me to confess to something that I didn’t do. [They said] you played with her even from when she was a minor.
You threatened her with money. So you are a murderer." Kim Soo-hyun addressed the allegations surrounding leaked KakaoTalk conversations, expressing frustration over how they were being used against him.
"The late actor's family disclosed KakaoTalk conversations through a press conference," he stated, referring to accusations stemming from chats dating back to 2016. He argued that the claims were based on manipulated evidence, explaining that the individual conversing with the late actor in 2016 was not the same as in 2018. "In order to prove this, I have requested analysis into the KakaoTalk chats revealed by the late actor's family in 2016, 2018, and this year," he said.
According to KSoo-hyun his agency's investigation confirmed that the conversations from 2016 and 2018 involved different people. "The agency showed that the chats made in 2016 and 2018 were from different individuals," he explained, adding that there was concrete evidence, including photos and videos, proving that some of the disclosed chats had been manipulated. "These fake testimonials and evidence are piling up just because we dated," he said.
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