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Kim Sae Ron’s death: YouTuber Lee Jin Ho reacts to her father’s cyberbullying allegations; says, ‘My intention was to…’
YouTuber Lee Jin Ho denies claims that his reporting harmed Kim Sae Ron, defends his coverage, and apologizes to her family after backlash following her father's accusations. Read more!
The controversy surrounding the late actress Kim Sae Ron has taken a new turn as YouTuber Lee Jin Ho publicly addressed allegations that his coverage played a role in the hardships she faced. Amid growing scrutiny, Lee released a statement on his YouTube channel Entertainment President Lee Jin Ho on March 10, firmly denying accusations that he had harassed her grieving family or acted irresponsibly in his reporting.
His response comes after Ilgan Sports published an interview with Kim Sae Ron’s father, in which he blamed YouTubers like Lee Jin Ho and sensationalist media outlets for the immense suffering his daughter endured before her tragic passing. In a detailed video statement, Lee refuted many of the claims made against him, clarifying his actions, explaining his decision to contact the actress’s family, and asserting that his coverage had been responsible and ethical.
Lee Jin Ho opened his video by acknowledging the grief of Kim Sae Ron’s family and expressing his condolences while addressing the ongoing controversy. He said he had read the Ilgan Sports interview with Kim Sae Ron’s family and expressed his deep regret that they were still being discussed in the media following her passing. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to them once again.
However, he made it clear that he took issue with the way Ilgan Sports had reported on the situation, stating that their articles were based on a “one-sided” account. He also strongly denied allegations that he had persistently contacted Kim Sae Ron’s father, saying, “I never contacted the bereaved family during the mourning period,” as quoted by Kbizoom.
A significant portion of the controversy stemmed from claims that Lee had made multiple calls to Kim Sae Ron’s father, supposedly harassing him during an already painful time. In response, Lee clarified that he initially considered attending the funeral to offer his condolences but decided against it, fearing that his presence might add to the family's distress, especially after an interview had already been made public. Instead, he chose to reach out only after the funeral had concluded.
Lee confirmed that he made three phone calls to Kim Sae Ron’s father on February 19, but only after her burial had taken place. He framed these calls as an attempt to offer a “moral apology” for any distress his past reporting may have caused. “On February 19, after her burial, I called her father three times. Regardless of the circumstances, my intention was to offer a ‘moral apology’ for having covered content related to the deceased.”
Lee Jin Ho visited Kim Sae Ron’s burial site in Paju on February 21, only to learn from cemetery officials that her resting place had been moved a day earlier, on February 20.
His attempts at reaching out, however, were met with cold responses. Lee Jin Ho stated that during their first conversation, Kim Sae Ron’s father was too overwhelmed to respond and did not recognize him. In their second call, when Lee inquired about the new burial site, the father declined to share the location. He made a third call after receiving a message questioning why he had contacted the family during the mourning period.
Lee clarified that his intention was not to report on the matter but to clear up any misunderstandings.
Moreover, Lee Jin Ho also addressed accusations that his YouTube videos had contributed to Kim Sae Ron’s struggles, stressing that he had never intended to harm her reputation or well-being.
He stated, “This is a delicate matter, as I never intended to cause distress to the deceased. In February 2024, I met with two of Kim Sae Ron’s managers and discussed ways to support her return to the entertainment industry. Given the severe public backlash against her, we agreed to carefully assess the situation before addressing it in any content. In fact, we remained in close communication throughout the production of my videos.”
He pointed out that, while other media outlets aggressively covered her controversies, including her DUI incident, struggles with debt, and fallout from her role in Bloodhounds, his channel had been relatively restrained. Lee Jin Ho emphasized that, unlike other media outlets that produced hundreds of articles about Kim Sae Ron, his channel had only covered her four times over the past three years.
According to Lee, these decisions were made out of respect for Kim Sae Ron and an understanding of the intense scrutiny she was under.
Although Lee Jin Ho strongly denied any wrongdoing, he concluded his statement with an apology to Kim Sae Ron’s family. He acknowledged that, regardless of his intent, the renewed focus on the actress’ name had caused further distress. “Regardless of my intentions, the fact that the deceased’s name has been brought up again because of me is something I deeply apologize for to the bereaved family,” he expressed. He also issued a plea to the media, urging them to handle stories about Kim Sae Ron’s passing with sensitivity and caution.
The controversy was initially reignited when Ilgan Sports published an interview with Kim Sae Ron’s father, in which he openly condemned Lee Jin Ho and other online figures for what he described as irresponsible and damaging coverage. Kim Sae Ron’s father’s words resonated with many netizens, sparking heated debates about the role of YouTubers and online media in celebrities' personal struggles. In response to the backlash, Lee Jin Ho took down all videos related to Kim Sae Ron from his YouTube channel. While this move may have been an attempt to de-escalate the situation, it has not silenced criticism entirely.
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