We, the undersigned, are calling for an end to the irresponsible and biased media coverage targeting actor Kim Soo-hyun amid the recent rumors involving actress Kim Sae-ron.

For over 20 consecutive days, a notorious YouTuber with criminal records and political affiliations waged an aggressive smear campaign against Kim Soo-hyun — accusing him of dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, blackmailing him, leaking private photos and videos, and threatening his reputation. These accusations were entirely unproven, yet mainstream Korean media outlets uncritically echoed this harmful content, turning false claims into widespread headlines.

Instead of investigating or challenging these allegations, Korean media acted as a mouthpiece for this YouTuber, publishing clickbait articles that mirrored his rhetoric — despite his history of misinformation. Even after Kim Soo-hyun's agency issued a formal denial, the media continued to mock and ridicule him, focusing on his emotional state and appearance at a press conference rather than reporting with compassion or integrity. The focus of media reporting was more towards ridiculing his rebuttals, rather than highlighing how he chose to fight for his innocence by initiating an appropriate legal actions against the perpetrators of this smear campaign. 

Now that truths and contradictory claims are emerging, debunking much of the YouTuber’s narrative, Korean media is actively snubbing these reports, choosing silence over accountability. Their excuse? That they are “tired” and want the “deceased to rest in peace.”

But we must ask:  

For the dead to rest in peace, must the living die a little every day?

Must someone continue to carry the unbearable weight of false accusations, social ostracization, and a destroyed career, just so the media can wash their hands clean?

Let it be clear:  

Korean media is the biggest culprit in this entire situation— not only for spreading baseless claims, but for now burying the truth as it begins to surface. Their silence is not neutrality — it’s complicity.

We demand the following:

1. A public apology from media outlets that contributed to spreading false or mocking narratives.  

2. An independent investigation by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) into unethical media behavior.  

3. A formal statement from international watchdogs like Reporters Without Borders (RSF)condemning media harassment.  

4. Legal action and scrutiny into the YouTuber’s actions — including blackmail, misinformation, and privacy violations — and the media’s role in amplifying them.  

5. A renewed, enforceable commitment to fact-based, ethical journalism.

This isn’t just about one celebrity.

This is about protecting the truth, ensuring the freedom to live without being slandered, and demanding that media uphold basic human decency. We must stand together to hold those in power accountable — and stop letting the media destroy lives unchecked.