Actor Kim Bu-sun. [Yonhap]
Actor Kim Bu-sun. [Yonhap]

Actor Kim Bu-sun has responded to reports that she was sued for failing to repay roughly 200 million won ($141,000) to a deceased acquaintance.

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Kim said the 200 million won figure is simply the amount the plaintiffs are seeking and has not been recognized or confirmed by a court as a loan.

She went on to say the central issue in the trial is whether the money the late individual sent her constitutes a loan that must be repaid or a gift with no repayment obligation. Her remarks suggest she contends that only a portion of the 200 million won claimed by the plaintiffs qualifies as a loan, with the remainder being non-repayable support.

Kim said that while the person was still alive, she disclosed on a YouTube live broadcast on Oct. 18, 2025, that she had borrowed money and outlined her repayment plan. She added that she transferred 10 million won to the individual on Oct. 22, 2025.

She also said that after the person's death, she reached out to the bereaved family herself to inform them that she owed the deceased 70 million won.

"I have deposited the full 70 million won I acknowledged owing with the court as a legal repayment deposit," Kim said. "I have never concealed a debt or refused to repay one."

The deceased's family has filed a lawsuit against Kim seeking repayment of the loan, and the case is currently before the courts. In April, the family obtained a provisional seizure of approximately 200 million won on Kim's apartment in Oksu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.

The family claims the deceased sent Kim roughly 200 million won on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2025.

Kim acknowledges receiving 3 million won from the individual each month on a regular basis, as well as money on holidays and birthdays, but argues that these payments were voluntary gifts and carry no repayment obligation.


paq@heraldcorp.com