Kim Soo-hyun Clears After 1 Year in ‘Underage Dating’ Inquiry, Suspects Audio Tape Manipulation

The underage dating allegation involving actor 'Kim Soo-hyun', which shook South Korea, came to an end about a year later. After a fierce battle over the truth, the dispute ultimately landed on the empty conclusion of 'insufficient evidence' in the face of scientific investigation.

The Yearlong Battle Over Truth Exposed as ‘AI Manipulation,’ Police’s Final Ruling Is No Charges

On the 29th, the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul said it has issued a final 'no prosecution' decision regarding 'Kim Soo-hyun', who was sued for alleged violations of the Child Welfare Act and for false accusation. Last May, before the ink on a complaint filed by the bereaved family of the late 'Kim Sae-ron' had even dried, the controversy reached its end a year later with just two words: 'no wrongdoing'.

The spark for the case was an audio recording shared by the bereaved family through a press conference. The exposé of a voice claiming, “We dated starting in middle school, then we broke up after she went on to university,” drew intense public attention. But the twist began in the technology. The accused side strongly raised the possibility of 'AI forgery' of the audio file. Based on the police’s 'mobile phone forensic' analysis, signs emerged that the recording was artificially manipulated, and objective evidence that could prove the charges vanished like a mirage.

The origin of this massive mud-slinging battle traced back to a disclosure by the YouTube channel 'Garoseo Research Institute' in March of last year. In response to the claim that the two had maintained a relationship for six years starting when the deceased was 15, the agency side drew a clear line: while it acknowledged the fact of dating, it said the meetings during her minor years were absolutely not the case. The agency then unsheathed its strong legal response for defamation against the bereaved family and the operator of the channel. With this police decision, the accused side is expected to secure the upper hand in any court battle that follows.