Actor Kim Soo-hyun has filed criminal and civil lawsuits against the family of the late actress Kim Sae-ron and a representative identified as Kim, alleging defamation and the use of AI-generated forged audio files to spread false claims.

Attorney Bang Sung-hoon of LKB & Partners, representing Kim, issued an official statement on June 23 declaring legal action in response to a press conference held last month by Kim Sae-ron's family and their legal team.

According to Bang, the family submitted a criminal complaint against Kim Soo-hyun for allegedly violating the Child Welfare Act based on what he called "fabricated evidence."

"The family, using forged audio files as evidence, not only spread false information but also filed a complaint against Kim Soo-hyun for violating the Child Welfare Act," Bang said.

"This is a clear act of defamation. Forging evidence is a serious crime, but filing a criminal complaint based on forged evidence is an even graver offense."

He continued, "We will make every effort to ensure they are punished in accordance with the law and principles."

At the core of the controversy is audio presented at the May press conference by Attorney Boo Ji-seok and representative Kim, claiming that Kim Soo-hyun had engaged in sexual misconduct with Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.

The family alleged that the two were in a six-year romantic relationship that began when Sae-ron was in middle school and that Kim's actions amounted to sexual abuse.

The audio included highly incriminating lines, such as, "I felt used since middle school. The first time [we had sex] was around the winter break of my second year in middle school."

Kim Soo-hyun's legal team has denied the authenticity of the recording, asserting it was generated using artificial intelligence and manipulated to support false claims.

In addition to the defamation lawsuit, Kim Soo-hyun has filed a criminal complaint against the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, which helped disseminate the allegations, and a ₩12 billion KRW (approximately $8.6 million USD) damages suit.

His legal team also complained to Representative Kim, alleging that he had allegedly violated the Stalking Punishment Act.

The case has received broad scrutiny in South Korea, where the public and the entertainment industry have been closely watching the development of the legal fight.

Some have questioned the motives behind the allegations, while others are awaiting the outcome of further investigations and the authenticity of the controversial audio.