Trigger Warning: This article mentions sensitive content such as suicide; reader discretion is advised.South Korean authorities have arrested YouTuber Kim Se-ui, who runs the popular Hover Lab channel, on suspicion of using AI to impersonate the actor and manipulating material. Kim Soo-hyun. Police and prosecutors allege that actress Kim Se-ui falsely claimed to have dated the late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor. Kim Soo-hyun has denied the allegation, which created a huge scandal and interrupted his career.
Kim Soo-hyun defamation case
According to the BBC, the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui on Tuesday after authorities expressed concern that he might destroy evidence or flee. Kim Se-ui denied the charges outside court and said the warrant “didn’t even properly organize the basic facts.”He also said he would press charges against the police and prosecutors who requested his arrest. Hover Lab, with nearly a million subscribers, is popular in South Korea for political commentary, entertainment content and celebrity gossip. Kim Soo-hyun’s agency welcomed the statement on Wednesday and said it has been “proved to be true.” The agency added, “The investigation confirmed that all the suspicions and evidence that Hover Lab brought against Kim Soo-hyun were baseless.“
AI voice recording complaint
The allegations surfaced last year, when Kim Sae-ron died at the age of 24 after committing suicide. A month later, Hover Lab released a voice recording in which he could be heard saying that he started with Kim Soo-hyun from the medium. Police now say the recording was created by AI. Authorities also allege that Kim Se-ui manipulated screenshots of text messages on Kim Sae-ron’s phone to appear that she sent text messages to Kim Soo-hyun.The claims shocked South Korea, where Kim Soo-hyun is one of the country’s top TV stars and a regular face in commercials. The JoongAng Ilbo news agency reported from a police archive that the accusations “collapsed Kim Soo-hyun’s social foundation and his economic activities as a whole, and destroyed the basis for his professional survival.”The police also said that the actor is “undergoing psychiatric treatment”.Kim Soo-hyun has not made an official public appearance since a tearful press conference in March 2025. He said he was with Kim Sae-ron for a year, but only when he was an adult. “I can’t accept something I didn’t do,” he said.His agency recalled his words from that press conference: “I’m not going to ask you to believe it. I’m going to prove it without a doubt.” He said the last year was spent fulfilling that promise.NOTE: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, or mental illness, seek professional help immediately from a doctor, mental health professional, or NGO. Helplines are also available.
