Actress Lee El receives praise as being the first celebrity to seemingly publicly defend the late Kim Sae Ron amidst ongoing speculations of her death and relationship with the actor Kim Soo Hyun.
As per the fnnews, a statement from Lee El posted on social media has sparked conversations about how society views the age and responsibility of young women.
She wrote: "A nine-year-old being pushed around by their parents for not knowing anything and a fifteen-year-old being treated like a gold digger for knowing everything about the world."
Many netizens were reminded of Kim Sae Ron's past and her situation, considering this a sharp commentary on the late actress's life and the scrutiny she faced.
Reactions on social media indicate that Lee El is brave for taking such a stance, as some users claimed it was unbelievable that she is the only celebrity making such a statement.
One user commented: "I can not believe Lee El is the only true adult amongst all the VIPs," while another said: "And HOT DAMN, I hope this is the start of something for Korean women (to mainly start speaking out)."
The controversy reignited a month later when Kim Sae Ron's aunt published an exposé accusing Kim Soo Hyun of causing her niece's death. This led to increased public criticism of Kim Soo Hyun, more intense than the earlier backlash regarding his relationship with the girl.
Amid the ongoing controversies involving Kim Sae Ron, a photo surfaced online showing a man who was reportedly at her residence in 2017. Kim Sae Ron's family confirmed that Kim Soo Hyun was a frequent guest at the time.
However, Kim Soo Hyun's agency claimed that the person was not Kim Soo Hyun in an effort to distance the actor from the blossoming controversy.
Lee El's comments have opened up the conversation on a larger scale, one that is centered on the treatment of young women in not only the entertainment world but in society, as well as the ongoing discussions at the moment of who is responsible for any given relationship.
9살은 아무것도 모르고 부모 등쌀에 떠밀려온 아이이고 15살은 세상 다 알아서 꽃뱀 취급합니까
— 2L (@2L_ibnida) March 17, 2025
i really hope this is the beginning of korean women (mainly of the industry) to start speaking up. it might not be easy but it could really change a lot https://t.co/Vf0GebSVhs
— enigma (@nytkizz) March 17, 2025
thisss, what did you expect a 15yrs old to do when a grown up men pursue (groomed) her??? most importantly why did you expect anything when it should be the ADULTS to know the boundaries, he’s growned up he knew what he did so yeah fuck him https://t.co/pvpSSQANYD
— yeos (@mochiggone) March 17, 2025
The only celebrity who's speaking up... https://t.co/bbQS1d7Kn1
— 𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖓 ꕤ (@mtunkrm) March 18, 2025
With events still ongoing, netizens and industry insiders will keep looking for more developments in this new chapter.
