Attorney Bu Ji-seok of law firm Buyou, representing the family of late actor Kim Sae-ron, speaks during a press conference at Space Share in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

An attorney representing the bereaved family of late actor Kim Sae-ron presented evidence on Thursday supporting their claim that she was in a romantic relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun when she was still a minor.

Bu Ji-seok of law firm Buyou shared the material provided by the family during a press conference held at Space Share Center in Seoul. He explained that the family chose to disclose the evidence publicly to end ongoing speculation that has severely impacted their emotional well-being.

"Recently, Kim Sae-ron's private life has been indiscriminately exposed almost daily, leading to speculation and criticism of the bereaved family," Bu said during the press conference.

"This has caused them extreme anxiety and both mental and physical distress. By releasing this evidence, they wish to put an end to the controversy and stop further meaningless disputes over the facts after this press conference."

Bu presented KakaoTalk messages allegedly exchanged in June 2016, when Kim Sae-ron was 16 years old.

In one exchange, Kim Sae-ron wrote, "I'm back to filming. I'll finish soon and come back," to which Kim Soo-hyun responded, "Come back," followed by a heart emoticon. She then replied, "♡kiss," prompting Kim Soo-hyun to ask, "Do it for real later. Is this forbidden, too?" Kim Sae-ron answered, "No, it's not forbidden. I'll do it," to which Kim Soo-hyun replied, "Yay."

In another conversation, Kim Soo-hyun allegedly wrote messages like, "When can I sleep while hugging you," and "Then I think I could really sleep well." Kim Sae-ron responded positively, saying, "Yes, I'll allow that," accompanied by a back-hugging emoticon.

Kim Soo-hyun and his representatives acknowledged the relationship but firmly denied accusations that they began dating while Kim Sae-ron was underage. The male actor's side maintains the relationship only began after Sae-ron reached adulthood.

The family also disclosed other KakaoTalk messages Kim Sae-ron exchanged with her mother, aunt and friends, an undelivered handwritten letter she wrote to Kim Soo-hyun and a photograph of a self-inflicted injury in April 2024.

In the handwritten letter, she apologized for posting a photo of herself and Kim Soo-hyun cheek-to-cheek on social media last year, after receiving a notice from Gold Medalist, her former agency and Kim Soo-hyun's agency.

She wrote, "I couldn't reach anyone at the company and was scared of lawsuits. I posted the photo hoping to get in touch with the company. I'm sorry for causing harm. I'm terrified and uncomfortable with the people at Gold Medalist."

She also reflected on her relationship with Kim Soo-hyun, saying, "We were together for five to six years. You were my first and last love. I hope you won't avoid me." She expressed feelings of emptiness and pleaded, "Let's get along well. Can we at least be supportive of each other?"

The controversy surrounding their alleged six-year relationship intensified following claims made by YouTube channel Hoverlab that their romantic involvement began in 2015 when Kim Sae-ron was 15 years old.

The bereaved family also revealed that Kim Sae-ron signed an exclusive contract with Gold Medalist in 2020 upon Kim Soo-hyun's recommendation, but faced immense psychological pressure after her drunk driving incident in 2022 led to contract termination. During this period, she reportedly sent messages to Kim Soo-hyun asking for more time to repay 700 million won demanded by Gold Medalist but received no response.