Actor Kim Soo-hyun (left) and Kim Se-eui, head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute [Yonhap]
Actor Kim Soo-hyun (left) and Kim Se-eui, head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute [Yonhap]

Eun Hyunjang, who runs the YouTube channel "Jangsa-ui Shin," said he received a notice of dividend distribution from the frozen bank account of Kim Se-eui, the indicted head of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute, and used the occasion to address actor Kim Soo-hyun — a fellow dividend creditor — saying he wants nothing from him and would prefer Kim not acknowledge him at all.

On Monday, Eun revealed on a live broadcast of his YouTube channel a notice from the Seoul Central District Court regarding a dividend distribution date for funds seized from the Garo Sero Institute's bank account.

"I received word to come collect a dividend from the money seized from the Garo Sero Institute account," Eun said. "The first-priority dividend creditors are Kim Soo-hyun and four others, and the second group is me and four others."

Eun pushed back against suggestions from some viewers that Kim Soo-hyun should be grateful to him.

"Some people are saying Kim Soo-hyun isn't acknowledging Eun Hyunjang because he's busy managing his image behind the scenes," he said. "But I want nothing from Kim Soo-hyun, and I'd prefer he not acknowledge me at all. I don't even know him personally."

He added: "Someone as remarkable as Kim Soo-hyun should go abroad, earn a lot of foreign currency, and become a great performer who contributes to this country. Everyone just needs to do their own job."

Eun also addressed his own abrasive broadcast style in relation to Kim. "If Kim Soo-hyun tells his fans to watch my channel and they come in only to see me shouting and speaking roughly and then leave, it just drags down my watch time," he said. "None of that matters — I just hope Kim Soo-hyun earns a lot of money and shows us great performances."

Eun said he submitted evidence during the investigation into Kim Se-eui, explaining that he and his staff analyzed videos one by one to compile documentation, which they then handed over to prosecutors. "As a result, the criminal proceeds could be identified at around 170 million won ($127,000)," he said.

Eun is also pursuing separate legal action against Kim. A court recently gave final approval to Eun's application to freeze Kim's prison spending allowance. Kim had requested access to 1 million won per month, but the court ruled that only 200,000 won per month would be exempt from seizure — the minimum deemed necessary for basic living in detention — limiting Kim to an average of roughly 6,600 won per day.

Kim was detained on May 26 on charges of spreading false claims — through YouTube broadcasts and press conferences between March and May 2025 — that Kim Soo-hyun had dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and that pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side to repay debts had played a role in her death.

Police determined that an audio recording Kim released had been generated using AI and that KakaoTalk messages he presented had been fabricated. Kim is currently standing trial after being indicted on charges including defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, violation of the Stalking Punishment Act, violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, attempted coercion, and intimidation.

In July, police decided not to refer the allegations of Kim Soo-hyun dating a minor to prosecutors, citing insufficient objective evidence to substantiate the charges.


dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com