According to reports by Kukmin Ilbo and other news sources, a Seoul court has officially welcomed a civil lawsuit initiated by the legal representatives of actor Kim Soo-hyun, targeting the family of late actor Kim Sae-ron and the operators of the controversial YouTube channel Hoverlab. On Monday, the Seoul Central District Court documented this claim for damages, allocating a unique case number. While the presiding judge remains unassigned, anticipation builds as this substantial case, valued at over 500 million won (approximately $368,000), is poised to be deliberated by a panel of three judges in a civil proceeding.
During a Monday press conference, attorney Kim Jong-bok from the law firm LKB & Partners, representing Kim Soo-hyun, disclosed that criminal defamation charges have also been filed. Furthermore, Kim’s legal team has submitted a separate civil complaint seeking compensation of 12 billion won ($8.8 million) from the deceased’s family, an unnamed individual pretending to be Kim Sae-ron’s aunt, and Hoverlab operators. As crucial evidence, Kim’s legal team presented forensic analysis reports that unequivocally stated the 2016 and 2018 KakaoTalk messages published by Kim Sae-ron’s side were not communicated between the same individuals as claimed.
