South Korean prosecutors are seeking an arrest warrant for a YouTuber who made claims that actor Kim Soo-hyun dated actress Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, in allegations connected to Kim Sae-ron’s death. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said it requested the warrant for Kim Se-ui, head of the YouTube channel HoverLab (also known as Garo Sero Institute). Prosecutors said the case involves charges including distributing illegally filmed material under South Korea’s sexual crimes law and defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.
Prosecutors and police filings reviewed by local media say the allegations relied on purportedly manipulated evidence. They cite claims that KakaoTalk messages were altered and that a voice recording was generated or manipulated using generative artificial intelligence to fabricate or distort statements attributed to Kim Sae-ron. Kim Soo-hyun’s side has previously filed a complaint stating that the audio in question was “manipulated using AI.”
Police documents, as reported by local outlets, also describe the suspect as knowingly spreading false information, allegedly for financial motives, including revenue from YouTube.
