Overview
- Prosecutors secured an arrest warrant for YouTuber Kim Se‑Ui and he was detained on allegations he spread fabricated KakaoTalk screenshots and an AI‑generated audio clip that falsely linked Kim Soo‑hyun to the late Kim Sae‑ron.
- Investigators said they moved to detain Kim Se‑Ui over fears he could tamper with evidence, interfere with the probe, or flee, and prosecutors are pursuing criminal charges beyond defamation.
- Kim Soo‑hyun’s lawyer, Ko Sang‑rok, publicly rejected the allegations on May 28 and said key materials were manipulated, named a recording provider called 'Kali Park' as unreliable, and questioned the absence of original files.
- The actor’s legal team has already sought civil damages and initially filed for 12 billion won, with internal estimates of total losses now around 30 billion won as they reassess reputational and commercial harm.
- The case has put focus on forensic limits and platform incentives, exposing how realistic digital forgeries can be amplified for views and donations and raising calls for better verification by courts, labs, and online services.