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New Delhi, May 21, 2026 — The intense legal battle between top Hallyu star Kim Soo-hyun and controversial YouTube channel HoverLab (also known as GaroSero Institute) has reached a critical turning point. South Korean prosecutors have officially requested a bench warrant for the arrest of Kim Se-ui, the representative and head of the channel, following a police conclusion that the malicious allegations leveled against the Queen of Tears actor were entirely fabricated.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office announced that the warrant was requested on multiple severe charges. These include defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and violations of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, specifically involving the distribution of illegally filmed material. A formal court hearing to review the arrest warrant is scheduled for May 26 at the Seoul Central District Court, where a judge will determine whether the YouTuber will be placed under temporary detention.
Police Expose Fabricated Evidence and AI Deepfakes
The severe legal upgrade follows a definitive finding by the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, which handled the primary investigation. Authorities concluded that HoverLab knowingly distributed completely false claims regarding a relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron for the explicit purpose of generating YouTube advertisement revenue.
HoverLab had previously sparked widespread shock by broadcasting claims that Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor. To back these claims, the channel presented what they alleged were leaked KakaoTalk messaging logs and an audio recording of the late actress.
However, forensic investigation has pulled back the curtain on those claims:
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Evidence Tampering: Police officially determined that the KakaoTalk chat logs were completely fabricated.
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AI Voice Manipulation: The voice notes presented as the deceased actress’s testimony were judged to have been artificially generated using deepfake AI tools to mimic her voice.
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Accomplice Implicated: Law enforcement has also booked an unnamed lawyer representing a segment of the deceased’s bereaved family as an accomplice, under suspicion of providing false materials to help orchestrate the smear campaign.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy originally erupted in March of last year, heavily impacting Kim Soo-hyun’s public activities and brand endorsements despite his massive success in the hit series Queen of Tears. In an emotional press conference, Kim Soo-hyun previously admitted that he had dated Kim Sae-ron briefly as adults—spanning from the summer of 2019 to the autumn of 2020—but vehemently denied ever being involved with her while she was underage.
Kim Sae-ron, once a highly regarded child actress, had stepped away from the industry following a 2022 drunk driving incident and tragically passed away in February 2025 at the age of 24. Following her death, HoverLab allegedly weaponized her memory to amplify the defamatory narrative.
With the National Forensic Service having previously scrutinized the digital files, and the police explicitly clearing the actor of the underage dating rumors, the upcoming May 26 warrant review is being viewed by industry insiders as a landmark case regarding the accountability of cyber-wreckers and the weaponization of generative AI in celebrity defamation.