Former child star Kim Sae Ron, once praised as a “genius child actress” and the youngest Korean celebrity to walk the red carpet at Cannes, has sadly passed away. She was only 24 years old.
On February 16th, police confirmed that Kim Sae Ron was found deceased at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
A friend was the first to discover her, and authorities are currently investigating the circumstances of her passing.
Her sudden death has left those close to her in deep grief. One acquaintance shared, “The last time I saw Sae Ron was at the end of last year. She was preparing to return with the film Guitar Man and wanted to start acting again to support herself. I never imagined this would happen.”
The acquaintance further revealed that Kim Sae Ron had recently changed her name to Kim Ah Im and was planning to open a café while also making her acting comeback.
“She initially worked part-time at a café while acting, but it was tough, so she eventually quit. She was making plans to open a café with some friends and even had moving arrangements in place.”
Heartbreakingly, they added, “There were no signs… I told her to always call me if she was struggling…”
Kim Sae Ron started her career in 2001 as a child model for Enfant magazine. She made her big-screen debut in 2009 in "A Brand New Life", directed by Lee Chang Dong, making history as the youngest Korean actress to ever attend the Cannes Film Festival.
She quickly became one of Korea’s most promising young stars, sweeping multiple Best New Actress awards at various film festivals.
Her breakthrough role came in 2010 with the film "The Man from Nowhere", where she starred alongside Won Bin.
The movie’s success solidified her status in the industry, leading to roles in "The Manhole", "A Girl at My Door", "Manshin", and "Snowy Road".
She also gained recognition through dramas like "Can You Hear My Heart?", "The Queen’s Classroom", "Nobody Knows", and "Bloodhounds", as well as variety shows like "Show! Music Core" and "Trust Me" and "Follow Me, City Fisherman".
However, in May 2022, her career took a major hit when she was caught driving under the influence. Her blood alcohol level was found to be 0.2%, well above the legal limit for license revocation. She was fined 20 million KRW in court and faced immense public criticism.
After a long period of self-reflection, Kim Sae Ron attempted to return to acting in May last year with the play Dongchimi.
However, due to intense backlash and health concerns, she stepped down from the role. She later took on part-time work at a café to support herself.
In November, she was reported to be making a comeback with the film "Guitar Man", with released stills gaining attention. Sadly, she passed away before the movie could be released.
Now, "Guitar Man" has become Kim Sae Ron’s final project, with its release scheduled for the first half of this year. Fans and the industry mourn the loss of a once-bright star gone far too soon.
Source: [1]
