South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron, who gained recognition for her role in the 2010 film The Man from Nowhere, was found dead at her home.
Seoul’s Seongdong Police Station said that at 4:54 p.m. on Feb. 16, Kim was found unconscious in a multi-unit housing complex in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. A friend who had been scheduled to meet with her found her in this condition. Kim was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Police said there were no signs of foul play, and they continue to investigate the cause of death. Authorities searched her home for any evidence, including a possible suicide note, but found none by 6 p.m.
Kim began her career in 2001 as a cover model for a children’s magazine at just one year old. She ventured into acting in 2009 with A Brand New Life, which led her to be invited to the Cannes Film Festival, making her the youngest S. Korean actor to appear there.
In 2010, she starred as the lead character, Jeong So-mi, in The Man from Nowhere, which grossed 6.28 million viewers, earning her recognition as a promising young actress. Kim received another invitation to Cannes in 2014 for her role in A Girl at My Door. She also served as a music program host from Nov. 2015 to Apr. 2017.
However, in May 2022, at the age of 20, Kim was involved in a car accident in the Gangnam district of Seoul, colliding with a guardrail, tree, and transformer. She requested a blood test instead of a breathalyzer, and her blood alcohol concentration was 0.2%, well over the legal limit for a license suspension. In April 2023, the court fined her 20 million won ($13,888).
Kim then stepped away from the public eye and took time to herself. She was later seen working part-time at a café in Seongsu-dong.
In 2023, she appeared in a Netflix drama but was criticized and dropped from the project. She attempted a return to theater in April of that year, but her comeback was unsuccessful. In Oct. 2023, she made a brief appearance on a movie set. Reports suggest that she recently changed her name to “Kim Aim” in an effort to start fresh. Tragically, just months later, she was found dead, leaving her fans and the entertainment industry in shock.
