Kim Sae Ron Was Married and Had An Abortion?

South Korean actress, Kim Sae Ron tragically passed away by suicide on February 16 at the age of 24. Recently, it was revealed that she had reportedly dated Kim Soo Hyun when she was only 15 years old. As Kim Sae Ron’s family announced intentions to sue Kim Soo Hyun, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho revealed the late actress had married another man outside the entertainment industry and was living in the United States before her death.

In January, Kim Sae Ron posted on social media a photo that appeared to be a wedding photo with a man. She later clarified that it was just a photo shoot with a friend. However, Lee Jin Ho claimed Kim Sae Ron was indeed married at that time and released what was allegedly an audio recording of a conversation between the actress and her manager.

In the audio clip, a woman who was presumed to be Kim Sae Ron admitted to being married to her boyfriend, who lived in the United States. Although she originally planned to break up with him, she decided to marry him after discovering she was pregnant. She revealed she had later aborted the pregnancy. The woman in the recording described her boyfriend as a normal person in everyday life but would become a different person when drunk. He has even exhibited controlling behaviors such as restricting her use of social media and messaging apps.

Here is part of the recorded conversation:

Manager: Sae Ron, what happened?
Kim Sae Ron: It wasn’t me who posted it, it was my boyfriend.
Manager: Ugh… Is he crazy?
Kim Sae Ron: Yeah.
Manager: The reporters keep calling and I’ve already told them it’s not true regarding your marriage, but you need to be truthful with me, okay? Otherwise, he might post again? When are you coming back? The 10th?
Kim Sae-ron: I’m leaving on the 13th and arriving on the 14th.
Manager: Where are you right now?
Kim Sae Ron: My boyfriend lives in New York.
Manager: The point is that the reporters keep calling to ask if you’re married to your boyfriend. I told them that he isn’t your boyfriend. It wasn’t him that I met when you and I had dinner together on Christmas. We need to figure out what to say to the press. Can you talk on the phone right now?
Kim Sae Ron: Yes.
Manager: It’s normal to break up and get back together, but this is not the same person I saw on Christmas. I’m confused why you’re posting wedding photos with another man? The pictures look like a concept photo shoot. We can only give vague answers to the reporters for now. Did you already have a wedding?
Kim Sae Ron: Yes, I already had it.
Manager: In Korea? Or abroad?
Kim Sae Ron: Abroad.
Manager: So what happened with him?
Kim Sae Ron: I was with him in Korea, but his company had some problems, so even though we broke up, I said I would help him with the issues. We already broke up when you met us last time. I talked with him thoroughly before breaking up and I told him I had a boyfriend. After some time, I wasn’t planning to marry him but then I found out I was pregnant.
Manager: Are you pregnant now?
Kim Sae Ron: No, I had an abortion. I used the pregnancy to ask him to marry me.
Manager: Didn’t you get married because of the baby? But you had an abortion, right?
Kim Sae Ron: Yeah… he kept threatening me. His personality is a bit crazy…
Manager: How did you meet him?
Kim Sae Ron: He works at a big company in New York. A friend introduced us. He’s very normal when we’re together but whenever he feels insecure… or… well it’s hard with a long-distance relationship.
Manager: Unbelievable…can’t you change your mind about the marriage?
Kim Sae Ron: I can’t… I’ve already changed my social media password and deleted my messaging accounts. Whenever he drinks, he turns into a different person…
Manager: Ugh…why are the people around you always like this?
Kim Sae Ron: I never thought I would marry someone like this.
Manager: So your parents know about your marriage?
Kim Sae Ron: Yes.
Manager: Did they approve?
Kim Sae Ron: He’s really normal most of the time. He’s a good person, but once he drinks, he changes…and then he found out about my ex-boyfriend, which is what led to all of this.
Manager: This is crazy, I’m going crazy.
Kim Sae Ron: Sorry…

However, many netizens were skeptical of the revelations, as Lee Jin Ho was previously alleged to be a friend of Kim Soo Hyun’s manager. Some suspect that he may have leaked the information to divert attention from the scandal. Due to the damaging rumors, Kim Sae Ron’s family sued Lee Jin Ho.