Entertainment reporter Lee Jin-ho is challenging claims that actor Kim Soo-hyun dated actress Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor, citing a detail in a widely circulated photo as potential evidence.
In a YouTube video released Monday titled "The 2016 Kim Soo-hyun Hat... Another Piece of Crucial Evidence? The Truth Behind Kim Sae-ron's Dating Photo," Lee disputed allegations raised by YouTuber Kim Se-ui and broadcaster Kwon Young-chan.
The two previously argued that a baseball cap worn by Kim Soo-hyun in the image dated the photo to around 2016, before Kim Sae-ron reached adulthood.
However, Lee pointed to a different object in the same image: an iPhone 11 held by Kim Sae-ron.
"The model of the phone doesn't match the claimed timeline," Lee said in the video. "The cap might have been a reused item, but the phone clearly anchors the photo to post-2019."
Apple's iPhone 11 was released in September 2019. Given that Kim Sae-ron was born in July 2000, Lee argued that the image likely dates from after she turned 19, which is considered the age of adulthood in South Korea.
The dispute arises amid broader controversy surrounding the actors' rumored relationship.
Kim Sae-ron's family has maintained the relationship started in 2015, while Kim Soo-hyun's camp says it wasn't until 2019, vehemently denying that any minors were involved.
The situation has been complicated by competing reports of love letters, home-cooked meals, and so on.
Police have stated that they are now investigating 10 complaints from both sides, including allegations of defamation and breach of privacy.
Lee Jin-ho's video has captured the attention of online users, many of whom are discussing the significance of the iPhone in relation to the site's guide and whether this detail alters the timeline in any way.
As the story unfolds, the entertainment industry and the public will continue to scrutinize the case with a close lens, which has raised larger questions about media accountability and the morality of reporting on a private relationship.
