100[On-Site] Harsher Standards Only for Female Celebrities… The Eerie Sense of Déjà Vu from the Late Kim Sae-ron’s Obituary

At the age of 25.

Another flower that had not yet fully bloomed has departed from our side.

On the afternoon of the 16th, the sudden news of the death of former child actor Kim Sae-ron shocked everyone. According to the police, Kim Sae-ron was found unconscious at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul at 4:54 PM and was transported to the hospital, but she passed away.

The first person to discover her was reportedly a friend who had promised to meet her earlier, and the police are investigating the cause of death, stating that there were no signs of forced entry and no criminal suspicion had been confirmed. The public opinion that worsened following the drunk driving incident in 2022 is considered to have caused her much distress, leading to a more despairing atmosphere regarding her passing.

In response, Kim Sae-ron’s fans issued a statement through a community. They said, “She acknowledged her mistakes, reflected on them, and strove to rise again.”

However, the criticism and public neglect she had to endure in the process surpassed human limits,” they lamented, adding, “When facing a society where politicians who commit far more serious crimes escape responsibility and live proudly, one cannot help but question the dual reality where only celebrities are held to such strict standards.” It seems more pertinent to reflect on the unusually cold atmosphere directed at Kim Sae-ron before listing unrelated instances of misconduct.

We need to reconsider whether we might have been excessively harsh on a young woman who had lived half her life under the banner of a ‘celebrity’ with her name and face exposed early on.

Born in 2000, Kim Sae-ron debuted as a model for the magazine ‘Enfant’ in 2001 as an infant and began her acting career in earnest with the movie ‘Traveler’ in 2009.

The monikers ‘prodigy’ and ‘genius’ often followed her due to her talent beyond her years.

Kim Sae-ron began to be regarded as a ‘gem discovered by the public’ following the movie ‘The Man from Nowhere’ (2010) and continued down a road of success through various works, including films ‘The Neighbors’ and ‘Do Hee,’ dramas ‘The Queen’s Classroom,’ music programs ‘Show! Music Core’ as an MC, among others. The reason why so many people felt particularly ‘betrayed’ and ‘disappointed’ about the drunk driving incident on May 18, 2022, when she was 22, seems to stem from having watched her for such a long time.

Many pointed out the fact that she ran away from the scene without taking any measures after the accident and reacted strongly to the financial damages.

In response, Kim Sae-ron posted a handwritten apology saying, “I caused harm to so many people, including store owners in the surrounding area, citizens, and those who helped with the recovery, due to my poor judgment and actions.”

“I should have acted with more caution and responsibility, but I failed to do so.”

I sincerely apologize,” she wrote in a handwritten apology.

She was edited out of the projects ‘Hunting Dogs’ she had already completed and withdrew from the upcoming project ‘Trolley.’

During the drunk driving trial held in March the following year, she repeatedly expressed remorse and shed tears, but the focus of public opinion was on her claim that she was suffering from financial difficulties because of this incident.

For the main breadwinner who had to pay compensation and fines for dropping out of projects, the penalty of 20 million won was a considerable burden, but the public remained indifferent.

While she was self-reflecting due to the broadcasting suspension following the drunk driving accident and the prolonged public indifference during this time, Kim Sae-ron occasionally shared updates on her SNS and each time faced intense backlash.

Photos with male friends turned into ‘self-imposed rumors of dating’ and ‘marriage speculations.’ If she ventured into fields outside her acting career, the issue of financial struggles inevitably followed. What is clear is that Kim Sae-ron dared to muster the courage to step back in.

She attempted to return with the play ‘Dongchimi’ in April last year but was canceled, then filmed the movie ‘Guitar Man’ in November.

According to insiders, she even changed her name and prepared for a fresh start.

Yet, she has ultimately left this world.

There is no suggestion to excuse her clear mistake of drunk driving either.

However, it seems that everyone has seen certain ‘fragments’ of the ‘truth’ regarding how a 25-year-old woman who was exposed to the indefinite gaze of many as a ‘celebrity’ was consumed as an issue.

Now is the time to reflect.

Reporter Lee Joo-in juin27@edaily.co.kr