Kim Se Ui Arrest Warrant Issued Over Kim Soo Hyun AI Voice Fabrication Allegations

The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Se Ui, head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, on May 26, 2026, in a case centered on allegations that material involving actor Kim Soo Hyun and the late actress Kim Sae Ron was fabricated. The warrant was granted as investigators examine claims tied to defamation, intimidation, attempted coercion, and alleged violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. ¹

The case has drawn attention because police have reportedly treated key materials, including KakaoTalk screenshots and a recording presented as Kim Sae Ron’s voice, as manipulated evidence. The Kim Soo Hyun AI issue now sits at the center of a broader legal dispute over whether online allegations about a past relationship and debt pressure claims were knowingly spread despite being false. ²

Kim Se Ui Arrest Warrant Granted

The Seoul Central District Court held a pre-arrest interrogation for Kim on May 26 before issuing the warrant later that day. The court cited concern over destruction of evidence and risk of flight as grounds for detention, according to reports on the ruling. ²

Kim faces allegations connected to repeated claims that Kim Soo Hyun had dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. Reports also state that he raised claims concerning alleged pressure from Kim Soo Hyun’s side over debt issues. Police are said to have concluded that the relationship claim was false and that the materials used to support related allegations were manipulated. ³

The warrant followed an earlier sequence of investigative steps. The Seoul Gangnam Police Station applied to prosecutors for an arrest warrant on May 14, 2026, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 2 requested the warrant from the court on May 19. A pre-arrest hearing was then scheduled for May 26 at the Seoul Central District Court. ⁴

Kim denied the allegations as he appeared for the court hearing. MBC reported that he said he did not acknowledge any of the charges, while Segye Ilbo reported that he described the warrant contents as filled with false information. ^{5 6}

Police Findings On KakaoTalk And Voice Files

The police findings reported before the warrant decision focused on two categories of material: KakaoTalk screenshots and an audio file said to contain Kim Sae Ron’s voice. Seoul Shinmun reported on May 22 that police concluded Kim’s claims about a relationship between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor were false. ³

According to that report, the Seoul Gangnam Police Station stated in its warrant application that Kim received 11 KakaoTalk screenshot images and then edited or manipulated elements such as the other party’s name and profile photo. Police also reportedly determined that the audio recording had been manipulated using AI. ³

The issue was complicated by an earlier forensic assessment. Financial News reported that the National Forensic Service had reached an inconclusive result in November of the previous year on whether the audio file had been altered using AI. ⁴ Later reports, however, described police as having determined within the warrant process that the recording and KakaoTalk evidence were fabricated or manipulated. ²

Segye Ilbo reported that police believe Kim spread the relevant material while aware that the content was false. The same report stated that he is accused of damaging Kim Soo Hyun’s reputation by repeatedly raising the claim about a minor-era relationship and by allegedly manipulating the late Kim Sae Ron’s voice with AI technology. ⁶

The charges reported in the case include defamation, intimidation, attempted coercion, and violations of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. Chosun Biz reported that the court issued the warrant on those allegations on May 26, one day before Kim Soo Hyun’s agency released a formal response. ¹

Agency Says “Truth” Has Been Confirmed

Gold Medalist, Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, issued an official statement on May 27, 2026, after the arrest warrant was granted. The agency said the allegations and evidence raised by Kim’s side had been confirmed as untrue, according to Chosun Biz. ¹

The agency stated that the KakaoTalk conversations that had been made public were altered from conversations unrelated to Kim Soo Hyun. It also said the late actress’s voice was fabricated using AI technology, describing the recording as manipulated material. ¹

In another reported statement, Kim Soo Hyun’s side expressed gratitude to investigators, saying it deeply appreciated their efforts to reveal the truth based on objective evidence. ² The agency’s position framed the warrant as a major development after a prolonged period of allegations involving the actor, the late Kim Sae Ron, and disputed digital materials.

The case remains a legal matter in progress. The issuance of an arrest warrant does not itself determine guilt, and Kim has denied the allegations reported against him. At the same time, the court’s decision shows that it accepted prosecutors’ request for detention at this stage, citing concerns about evidence destruction and flight risk. ²

The arrest warrant for Kim Se Ui marks a significant procedural step in a case built around alleged digital fabrication, online defamation, and claims involving Kim Soo Hyun and the late Kim Sae Ron. With police findings now focused on manipulated KakaoTalk screenshots and an alleged AI-generated voice file, the investigation is expected to proceed from the court-approved detention stage under continued scrutiny.

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Cloi Lee

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