YouTuber indicted for Korean actor Kim Soo-Hyun over AI scandal

The Allegations

From March 2025 to May 2025, the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (가로세로 연구소, also known as Gaseyeon) claimed that actor Kim Soo-Hyun dated actress Kim Sae-ron for six years when she was 15. It made further claim that Kim Soo-hyun’s pressure to pay the debt led her death. On May 07 2025 Gaseyeon and the actress’ family members held a press conference with her voice recording. (check whether the voice recording is authentic or not)

While Kim Soo-hyun claims that his romantic relationship started with Kim Sae-rom after she became an adult, he filed criminal complaint and civil lawsuits over 12 billion won in damages to Kim Se-ui and the actress’s family members.

The Seoul Gangnam local authorities concluded the case that Kim Soo-hyun did not date Kim Sae-ron when was underage. Importantly, the authorities found that 11 KakaoTalk messenger screenshots dated 2016 had been edited to add Kim Soo-Hyun’s name. The arrest warrant application revealed that the motive behind editing the screenshot was for YouTube revenue. None of this claim has been tested at trial.

The AI claim

The reports’ headlines state that AI was used to fabricate the evidnece, however the records laid out below provides uncertainty:

• August 2025 Police requested the National Forensic Service to examine the audio recording.
• November 2025 The Service could not determine whether the recording was generated or altered with AI. Proper examination could not be completed due to the copy version of the audio and noise in the background.
• May 2026 Police stated the audio recording have been generated by AI. No further statement was released to explain how they reached the conclusion with supporting evidnece from the forensic service. The Public reports that police found evidnece towards AI by searching into the file’s distribution route, the existence of various versions and witness statements.
• June 2026 JTBC reported that the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s investigation team found inconsistency in the audio and varying frequency bands for the male and female voices. It concluded that a woman’s voice may have been played back and re-recorded. Yet, AI is not mentioned in the findings.
• July 2026 The Public reviewed the indictment and reports that the audio as a “manipulated voice file” and does not use the word “AI”. Prosecutors confirmed traces of abnormal editing traces, collected statements the deceased could not have made, and the actions by the anonymous sender who refused in-person verification and demanded money.

In South Korea, the method of criminal intent does not need to be met for the individual to be prosecuted. The charges are met when it is validated that the Garosero Research Institute broadcasted material knowingly that the information is false, not on how the file was made. This is also one of the reasons why the issue with AI usage may never be decided in court.

It is only claimed in a police statement that the recording is AI-generated; not confirmed by forensic examination.

Criminal Charges

Prosecutors in the Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Kim Se-ui on June 23, 2026. Charges are reported to be defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act, distributing illegally filmed material under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and a violation of the Stalking Punishment Act. The Public also lists attempted coercion and intimidation as additional charges.

In September, the court approved a prosecution request to freeze about 169 million won in assets as proceeds of crime. Prosecutors put his earnings at about 169.4 million won, including at least 54.4 million won in donations and at least 115 million won in YouTube advertising revenue.

Detention and trial

The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant to Kim Se-ui on May 26 2026, raising the flight risk and that he would destroy evidence. Police referred the case to prosecutors on June 4. A later request to review the legality of his detention was rejected.

The case is before Criminal Panel 26 of the Seoul Central District Court. Kim asked for a jury trial. The court confirmed on October 15 that the case will not be tried by jury. At the second pretrial hearing that day he asked for bail, citing his mental health. Prosecutors opposed the bail stating that he would resume broadcasting and further harm the victims. No ruling on bail has been reported. Kim’s legal attorneys have also filed an objection to a forensic examination of his phone carried out without his participation. The pretrial hearing continues on October 28, 2026.

Kim denies all the charges and claims the case should be acquitted. The Public reports that he faces eight other prosecutions.

Open Question

The method The national forensic examination report did not find that AI was used to fabricate evidence. No source has explained the basis for the police statement of AI usage in May 2026.

The trial date Pre-trial hearings are continuing. No trial date has been reported.

Anonymous sender The anonymous person who emailed the recording, calling himself “Kalibak” has not been identified in any report.

No agency release All information comes from news reports. No police, prosecution nor court record has been found.

Sources

Search used: 김새론 녹취 AI 조작 공소장 가로세로연구소 김수현 명예훼손 구속기소

Updated 2026.10.17. Tier and status definitions are in the methodology.