SEOUL — A court in Seoul has approved an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui, the head of HoverLab, deepening a case that has drawn intense scrutiny over false claims tied to actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the warrant on Tuesday, and Kim was taken into custody this week. The warrant includes allegations of defamation, attempted coercion, intimidation and violations of laws related to distributing illegally produced content. The court said there were concerns that evidence could be destroyed and that Kim might flee.
Kim had publicly alleged that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor and used YouTube broadcasts to spread claims that her death was linked to the actor. He also held a press conference last year and released what he said was an audio recording of Kim Sae-ron discussing details involving Kim Soo-hyun. That recording quickly spread online and fueled a wave of backlash against the actor. Kim Soo-hyun has repeatedly denied that he dated her while she was underage.
In court, Kim denied all allegations. He was quoted as saying the warrant was filled with obvious falsehoods and that it was sloppy and did not even organize the basic facts properly.
Police now reportedly believe the audio was artificially generated using AI voice technology. Local media reports also say investigators concluded that KakaoTalk messages previously disclosed by Kim’s side had been manipulated. Police reportedly said Kim spread false information for financial gain, including YouTube revenue, and that he knew the actor did not date the deceased when she was a minor but distributed the claims anyway.
The dispute began after allegations involving Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun spread online last year, when the actor was at the height of his popularity and enjoying global success from the drama Queen of Tears. Kim addressed the controversy in a tearful press conference on March 31 last year, saying he had dated Kim Sae-ron but only after she became an adult. Kim and his agency, Gold Medalist, have continued legal action against Kim and others over alleged defamation and the spread of false information.
The arrest marks a sharp turn in a case that has moved from online accusation to criminal investigation, and the next phase will likely focus on whether prosecutors can back the police findings that the key material was manipulated rather than authentic.
