It has recently come to light that the late actress Kim Sae Ron borrowed a staggering 700 million KRW from her former agency, Gold Medalist, to cover the penalties and damages from a tragic drunk driving accident she was involved in during her lifetime.

According to reports on February 18th, Kim Sae Ron was involved in a serious incident in May 2022, where she crashed her car into a transformer at the Hakdong intersection in Gangnam, Seoul, while driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident caused a massive power outage in the Gangnam area, leading to huge financial losses. On top of that, Kim Sae Ron faced penalties for violating advertising and drama contract terms.

In desperate need of money, the actress turned to her agency, Gold Medalist, for help. They lent her the money to pay off the damages and penalties.

However, after her contract with Gold Medalist ended in December 2022, she promised to repay the debt, but the money never came.

Following a sharp decline in her career and public reception, Kim Sae Ron struggled to find stable work. Despite working part-time jobs at a café and an acting academy, she was unable to pay back the 700 million KRW debt.

Eventually, Gold Medalist sent her a formal demand letter, urging her to repay the loan. Not paying back this large sum could be considered embezzlement.

Kim Sae Ron requested more time to settle her financial issues, explaining her struggle to find steady work, but unfortunately, she passed away without fulfilling her promise.

Kim Sae Ron was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of February 16th. A friend, who was supposed to meet her that day, discovered her and reported the incident to the authorities.

There was no suicide note found at the scene, and while the family has requested privacy, the details surrounding an autopsy will not be made public.

Kim Sae Ron’s funeral is currently being held at Seoul Asan Hospital’s funeral hall, with the service scheduled for February 19th. The burial location is being kept private at this time.

Source: [1]

Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

Source: [1]