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Was Kim Sae Ron NOT paid at Kim Soo Hyun's agency for visual direction? Alleged ex-GOLDMEDALIST employee reveals truth
An alleged former creative director at GOLDMEDALIST disputes claims that the late actress Kim Sae Ron worked without pay on Kim Soo Hyun’s agency’s visual team. Read more!
Amid ongoing controversy surrounding the late actress Kim Sae Ron, allegations regarding her unpaid work at GOLDMEDALIST have drawn major attention. Recently, an alleged former employee of the agency has stepped forward to challenge these claims, asserting that Kim Sae Ron was never involved in the company’s visual direction.
On March 22, an individual identified as ‘A’ took to Instagram to refute accusations that Kim Sae Ron worked as an unpaid visual director. Offering condolences to the late actress, A introduced themselves as a creative director at GOLDMEDALIST since its early days, when the company lacked an official branding identity.
According to A, they were responsible for shaping GOLDMEDALIST’s visual identity, including branding, promotional materials, and artist profiles. They also claimed to have directed Kim Sae Ron’s profile photo currently displayed on Naver, as well as overseeing the visual direction of trainees and actors under the agency. Addressing the controversy, A firmly dismissed the claim that Kim Sae Ron worked in a similar role without compensation, stating,. “That statement is a complete lie.”
To support their claims, they detailed their professional background, revealing that they worked as a creative editor at GOLDMEDALIST from November 2019 to December 2024. Their experience also includes contributions to major projects, such as Visual mapping for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics ceremonies and Media art planning for Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1. They expressed frustration over their work being overlooked due to the current controversy.
The allegations about Kim Sae Ron’s role at GOLDMEDALIST first surfaced through Garosero Research Institute’s YouTube channel, where her family claimed she had actively contributed to company operations without being paid. They also alleged that Kim Sae Ron joined GOLDMEDALIST in 2019 because of her relationship with Kim Soo Hyun, with whom she was allegedly involved as a minor.
The conflicting narratives between Kim Sae Ron’s family and the former GOLDMEDALIST employee have fueled further speculation, leaving the public divided on the true nature of Kim Sae Ron’s role within the agency.
