K-DRAMA fans were saddened by the passing of Gen Z Korean actress Kim Sae Ron. She was 24.
South Korean and local media outlets broke the news on Sunday, February 16, with The Korea Herald reporting that the actress was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu in Seoul.
According to reports, Kim’s body was found by her friend, whom she was supposed to meet, on Sunday afternoon.
The Korea Times reported that it was the friend who alerted the police. It said that the authorities are now investigating the cause of Kim’s death, but they have not found any signs of foul play yet.
Korean entertainment website Soompi quoted the Seoul Seongdong Police Station in its report, asking the public to “refrain from speculating about the specific circumstances and manner of death” of the young actress.
Kim last posted a photo of her on Instagram on January 18.
Tributes
On X (formerly Twitter), several K-drama fans paid tribute to Kim, saying they were saddened by the death of such a talented actress.
One netizen shared how Kim made them emotional with her portrayal as a nameless angel who becomes human in the 2014 teen fantasy romance series “Hi! School: Love On.”
“This [drama] had me crying so much when I was in high school. Rest in peace, Kim Sae Ron. You will always be loved and remembered,” they wrote.
Kim’s former agency, GOLDMEDALIST, also expressed its condolences over the actress’ passing, entertainment website Allkpop reported.
“We are deeply saddened to hear the unfortunate news of Kim Sae Ron’s passing. We extend our heartfelt condolences and wish her eternal peace,” the agency was quoted as saying in the report.
Kim was with Gold Medalist from 2020 to 2022. Her contract with the agency was not renewed after she was involved in a driving under the influence incident in Gangnam District in Seoul in May 2022.
Last year, the agency denied the dating rumor between Kim and its other talent, Korean star Kim Soo Hyun.
Career
Kim began her show business career as a child actress at nine, starring in the 2009 Korean film “A Brand New Life.”
Directed by Ounie Lecomte, the film featured Kim as a nine-year-old girl named Jin-hee, who is left by her father at an orphanage run by Catholic nuns.
In 2010, Kim starred as a little girl named So-mi who is friends with a mysterious man named Cha Tae-sik in the action-thriller film “The Man from Nowhere.”
Fast forward to 2021, Kim got the titular role in the mystery web series “The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim,” who is a teenager who has the ability to see spirits.
She also appeared in the action drama series “Bloodhounds,” released on the streaming giant Netflix in 2023.
