Seoul Prosecutors Request Arrest Warrant for Garosero Research Institute Head Kim Se-ui Over Alleged Defamation and Fabricated Evidence Involving Actor
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#KimSaeRon.
On May 20, 2026, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office formally requested an arrest warrant for Kim Se-ui (김세의), representative of the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (가로세로연구소, also known as Gaseyeon or Hoverlab). The request, filed with the Seoul Central District Court, cites charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and violations of the Sexual Violence Crime Punishment Act (specifically related to illegal filming and distribution of private content).
The allegations stem from Kim Se-ui’s YouTube broadcasts and press conferences (notably in May 2025) in which he claimed that actor Kim Soo-hyun had dated and had sexual relations with the late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was underage (including during middle school), and that pressure from Kim Soo-hyun’s side regarding debt repayment contributed to her death in February 2025.
Police investigations by the Gangnam Police Station determined that key evidence presented - KakaoTalk chat screenshots and audio recordings - was fabricated or manipulated. This included screenshots with inserted photos of Kim Soo-hyun, altered names, and timestamps, as well as audio files suspected of being AI-generated or edited. The bereaved family reportedly did not submit Kim Sae-ron’s original phone for forensic analysis, and the materials were presented as reconstructions.
A detention review hearing (warrant substantive examination) for Kim Se-ui is scheduled for May 26, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Seoul Central District Court. Prosecutors cited risks including evidence destruction, flight, repeated offenses, and potential for “extreme choices” as grounds for detention.
Info Source : Korean Media
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