Seoul, South Korea CNN
South Korean Actor Kim Sae-ron Found Dead at 24
South Korean actor Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seoul on Sunday, nearly two years after stepping away from the public eye following a drunk driving conviction. She was 24.
According to police, a friend discovered Kim’s body, and there were no signs of foul play. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, a police official told CNN.
Kim rose to fame as a child actor, earning international recognition for her role in the 2009 film A Brand New Life, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She later starred in several acclaimed films, including the 2010 action hit The Man from Nowhere, the 2012 mystery thriller The Neighbors, and the 2014 drama A Girl at My Door.
However, her career came to a halt in April 2023 after a Seoul court found her guilty of driving under the influence, following a car crash in the South Korean capital the previous year. She avoided jail time but was fined approximately $14,000.
Kim’s last known role was in Netflix’s 2023 K-drama Bloodhounds.
Her final Instagram post, a photo shared in January, has since garnered over 205,000 likes. Comments on her account remain disabled.
Korean Celebrities Pay Tribute to Kim Sae-ron
Following the news of Kim Sae-ron’s passing, Korean celebrities shared heartfelt tributes in her memory.
“May you rest in peace,” actor Kim Ok-bin wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of a white chrysanthemum—a symbol of grief in many Asian cultures.
Kim’s The Neighbors co-star, Kim Min-che, also honored her, posting a scene from the film on Instagram with the caption: “I was so happy to meet you as my daughter in the movie. May you rest in peace.”
Her death adds to growing concerns about mental health struggles and the pressures within South Korea’s entertainment industry, which has seen a series of tragic losses in recent years.
In November, K-drama actor Song Jae-lim was found dead in his apartment at 39. Last year, ASTRO boy band member Moon Bin passed away at 25. K-pop singer and actress Sulli was also 25 when she died in 2019, while SHINee’s Kim Jong-hyun was just 27 when he was found dead in his home in 2017.
Despite efforts by entertainment agencies to provide better mental health support—through counseling services and more flexible schedules—critics say the highly competitive nature of the industry, coupled with relentless public scrutiny and expectations of perfection, continues to take a toll on its stars.
