A crucial point has been reached in the defamation lawsuit between well-known actor Kim Soo Hyun and YouTuber Kim Se Ui, who runs the contentious Garosero Research Institute.
Money Today reported on June 11 that the Seoul Central District Court had granted a temporary seizure request submitted by GOLDMEDALIST, Kim Soo Hyun's agency.
This important decision gives the agency the right to claim two of Kim Se Ui's opulent Seoul residences.
Just a few days after GOLDMEDALIST requested court permission to seize assets amid a massive 12 billion KRW civil lawsuit brought against the YouTuber, the court's ruling was made on June 9. This preliminary decision shows that the court recognises a plausible basis for the agency's claimed damages.
Two upscale apartments in Seoul are among the properties currently under temporary seizure. One is a 120.27-square-meter apartment in Seocho Buksan Blooming, and the other is a larger 208.65-square-meter apartment in Apgujeong-dong's upscale Hanyang Apartment Complex 4.
It's crucial to remember that even though Kim Se Ui and his sister jointly own the Apgujeong unit, the court's decision only affects his 50% ownership stake.
With two billion KRW allotted to each of these two properties, GOLDMEDALIST is requesting a total of four billion KRW in secured damages. This sum is a component of their larger civil claim for damages, which also includes emotional distress, reputational harm, and defamation.
Legal experts suggest that further action could potentially follow this development. Attorney Noh Jong Eon from Law Firm Jonjae commented on the ruling, observing that such a court decision reflects the judiciary's initial opinion that the damage claim holds merit.
“The court likely found reasonable grounds in the claimed damages,” he clarified. He further added a crucial caveat: “However, since this is a provisional seizure, Kim Se Ui’s rebuttal has yet to be reviewed. The final compensation could change after a full hearing.”
Until a comprehensive hearing takes place, the court's action ensures that Kim Se Ui is prohibited from selling or transferring the properties in question.
According to real estate insiders, the Seocho apartment is worth about 2.5 billion KRW, and a similar unit in the Apgujeong complex recently sold for about 8.87 billion KRW.
If the court decides to grant GOLDMEDALIST damages, this element might make it more difficult for them to get the entire amount they are claiming.
This legal dispute began in March 2025 when YouTuber Kim Se Ui accused Kim Soo Hyun of having a "inappropriate relationship" with late actor Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor, allegedly with her family's support.
GOLDMEDALIST strongly refuted these claims, subsequently stating that the relationship started in 2019 following Kim Sae Ron's legal adulthood.
GOLDMEDALIST filed criminal and civil lawsuits against Kim Se Ui and Kim Sae Ron's family as a result of the controversy's quick escalation, claiming defamation, the dissemination of false information, and violations of laws against sexual violence.
The family of Kim Sae Ron retaliated by countersuing Kim Soo Hyun, claiming false accusations and violations of child welfare. There are ongoing legal investigations into these related claims.
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