Kim Soo-hyun takes legal action against a YouTube channel over allegedly defamatory content

South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has taken legal action against the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon) for allegedly allowing defamatory content about him to remain online. His representatives have called for the channel's closure and the removal of 30 videos linked to the 38-year-old actor.

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Kim Soo-hyun takes action against defamatory content

According to a report by The Chosun Daily, lawyer Go Sang-rok, who represents Kim, confirmed on October 20 that the requests had been submitted earlier this month. "At the beginning of this month, we requested the deletion of 30 videos containing defamatory content about actor Kim Soo-hyun on YouTube and the closure of the channel. This is a measure to stop the repeated harmful acts and secondary damage," Go said.

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Kim's representatives reportedly requested the removal of 30 videos on October 3 before approaching YouTube again on October 6 to seek the channel's termination.

"Even if one video is deleted, the damage does not stop if the same attacks continue the next day on the same channel. Given the repetitiveness and severity of the harmful acts, the platform should actively consider suspending or deleting the channel itself," Go said. "The case has been confirmed through investigations that the channel used AI-manipulated voice recordings and other false evidence to defame and threaten Kim Soo-hyun."

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What were the allegations against Kim Soo-hyun?

The dispute revolves around claims made by Gaseyeon about Kim's relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron, who died in February 2025. The channel had alleged that the two began dating when she was a minor and made claims linking alleged pressure from Kim's side to the circumstances surrounding her death.

Kim's representatives denied the allegations, maintaining that the relationship began after she became an adult.

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In May 2026, Kim Soo-Hyun was cleared of all allegations. Kim Se-ui, the operator of Gaseyeon, meanwhile, was indicted in June over allegations that included defaming Kim Soo-hyun by spreading false information.

Alongside the request to YouTube, Kim's legal team has approached the court seeking an order directing the removal of the disputed videos and preventing the publication of similar content in the future.