South Korean law enforcement authorities applied for an arrest warrant against a prominent YouTuber on May 22, 2026, for allegedly fabricating artificial intelligence evidence that falsely accused actor Kim Soo-hyun of underage dating.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office filed the warrant request against Kim Se-eui, the head of the Garosero Research Institute YouTube channel, following an investigation by the Seoul Gangnam Police Station.
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Investigators discovered that the channel utilized manipulated KakaoTalk text message screenshots and a synthesized audio file to falsely claim the "Queen of Tears" star had dated the late actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.
According to a police filing reported by news outlet JoongAng Ilbo, the YouTuber knowingly propagated the false allegations to secure financial gain.
The filing stated that the channel's actions "collapsed Kim Soo-hyun's social base and his economic activities across the board, and destroyed the basis for his professional survival," while noting that the actor is "still receiving psychiatric treatment."
The actor has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that while they did date for a year, it occurred only after she became an adult.
At a tearful press conference in March 2025, the actor addressed the situation directly. "I can't admit to something I didn't do," said Kim Soo-hyun.
Following that public statement, the actor initiated criminal complaints and lawsuits against the YouTuber and the deceased actress's family members, who had publicly backed the channel's claims.
In response to the legal proceedings, the YouTuber released a broadcast denying the official findings.
Kim Se-eui posted a video claiming the authorities' allegations were a "subterfuge meant to disrupt his investigation."
The legal developments drew public commentary from political figures regarding the broader societal issue of online defamation.
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New Reform Party Chairman Lee Joon-seok expressed his views on his personal social media account on May 22, 2026, hoping for the restoration of the actor's reputation.
"First of all, I pray for the repose of the late Kim Sae-ron.
I hesitated to leave a message to cause another misunderstanding about the death of a young actor," wrote Lee Joon-seok.
The political leader expressed concern over the social dynamics that allow digital misinformation to propagate without accountability.
"The reason why I decided to leave a word is because the social atmosphere, which boils down to sensational suspicion and is passive in restoring honor, is nourishing cyberrekas," said Lee Joon-seok.
He further criticized the nature of the digital evidence presented by the online channel.
"It is a scenario of a manipulated messenger screen, a voice synthesized by artificial intelligence, and a crime scene in which a single search is compiled.
The investigative agency confirmed that the weapons that destroyed a person's privacy, occupation, and dignity were a handful of counterfeits in the end," stressed Lee Joon-seok.
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A formal warrant review hearing for Kim Se-eui is scheduled to take place at a capital city court on May 26, 2026.
