Kim Sae-ron death: Bloodhounds star who took own life 'compensated damaged stores' after drunk driving incident

The Bloodhounds star was found unresponsive at her home in Seoul by a friend on Sunday, February 16, and later pronounced dead. According to reports, she had struggled to rebuild her reputation and land new roles in the years following the incident.

However, according to a report by Kukmin Ilbo, she remained committed to making amends and ensuring those affected by the accident received compensation.

Kim reportedly took the unusual step of visiting each store personally to apologise and offer compensation. One store owner recalled their surprise at seeing her in person: “I was shocked when Kim Sae-ron came to apologise in person.”

Despite her efforts, Kim’s reputation never fully recovered. The incident led to significant financial difficulties as her activities in the entertainment industry were suspended. She faced brand deal penalties and compensation payments, which reportedly put a strain on her finances.

Before her passing, Kim had changed her name to Kim Ah Im in an attempt to start over in the entertainment industry. A close friend spoke to OSEN, recalling their last conversation with her at the end of 2023, when she was preparing for a return to acting.

“The last time I saw Kim Sae Ron was at the end of last year. She was preparing to return with the movie Guitar Man, and we talked about how she would start acting again and finally make money… I never imagined this would happen.”

Kim was regarded as one of South Korea’s most promising young actresses, starting her film career at the age of nine. She gained recognition for her breakout role in the 2010 film The Man from Nowhere, for which she won the award for best new actress at the Korean Film Awards.

She went on to star in the 2012 thriller The Neighbour, as well as host of TV shows such as The Villagers and Leverage. According to IMDB, she had been working on an upcoming movie called Metal Revolver Juvenile Incident, which is currently in post-production.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Korean police now believe her death to be suicide. An official said: “We believe she made an extreme choice and plan to handle it as a suicide.”

People have now come out to condemn South Korean’s ‘bullying culture’, which resulted in her death. One said: (She) apologised for her actual mistakes and tried to move forward just for it all come crashing down. South Korea is hell for women.”

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