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Obituary

Kim Sae-ron, the actor from The Man from Nowhere, died at 24

Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seoul on 16 February 2025, aged 24. Police said there was no sign of foul play. Her last film, Guitar Man, was released in May 2025.

DAW newsroom 3 min read Updated 25 September 2026
Kim Sae-ron, the actor from The Man from Nowhere, died at 24
Image: Discover Asian World

Source: The Korea Herald (16 February 2025) · Read the original report  |  CBS News (17 February 2025) · Read the original report  |  Korea JoongAng Daily (19 February 2025) · Read the original report  |  allkpop (February 2025) · Read the original report  |  The Korea Times (22 May 2025) · Read the original report  |  The Korea Herald (29 July 2026) · Read the original report  |  Wikipedia: The Villagers (film) · Read the original report

Kim Sae-ron, who had acted since she was nine, died at her home in Seongdong District, Seoul, on 16 February 2025, aged 24. A friend found her that afternoon and called police at about 4.50pm. The next day a police official said there was no sign of foul play and that police would handle the death as a suicide.

How did Kim Sae-ron die?

Police first said they had found no sign of a break-in and were looking into the cause (The Korea Herald, 16 February 2025). On 17 February a police official told reporters there was no sign of foul play and that police believed she had taken her own life (CBS News). That is the only official statement on the cause, and this page does not add to it.

Her former agency, Gold Medalist, issued a statement of condolence (allkpop).

When was Kim Sae-ron’s funeral?

A three-day private funeral for family, friends and colleagues was held at Asan Medical Center in Songpa District, Seoul. The procession left on the morning of 19 February 2025. Won Bin, her co-star in The Man from Nowhere, was among those who came to pay respects (Korea JoongAng Daily).

What films and series was she in?

She made her debut in the film A Brand New Life in 2009 and became widely known the next year as the girl So-mi in The Man from Nowhere. Later work included the films The Neighbors (2012), A Girl at My Door (2014) and Ordinary People (2018, also released as The Villagers), and the series Hi! School: Love On (2014), Mirror of the Witch (2016, also known as Secret Healer) and Leverage (2019).

Her career stalled after a drunk-driving crash in May 2022; she was fined 20 million won in April 2023. The Netflix series Bloodhounds (2023) was her last credited series (The Korea Herald). Her final film, Guitar Man, which she had finished shooting, premiered on 30 May 2025 (The Korea Times).

Kim Sae-ron
Born 2000
Died 16 February 2025, Seoul, aged 24
First film A Brand New Life (2009)
Best-known role So-mi in The Man from Nowhere (2010)
Final film Guitar Man, released 30 May 2025

What happened after her death

In March 2025 her family and the YouTube channel HoverLab made allegations about her past relationship with the actor Kim Soo Hyun, which he and his agency disputed. A police complaint the family filed was closed in 2026 without charge. The dated record of the complaints and lawsuits is on our page about the Kim Soo Hyun controversy.

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What is confirmed

  • Confirmed. Found dead at her home in Seongdong District, Seoul, on the afternoon of 16 February 2025, aged 24.
  • Official statement. On 17 February 2025 a police official said there was no sign of foul play and that police believed she had taken her own life. Nothing beyond that statement is published here.
  • Confirmed. A three-day private funeral at Asan Medical Center, Songpa District, with the procession on 19 February 2025.
  • Confirmed. Gold Medalist, her former agency, issued a statement of condolence.
  • Confirmed. Her final film, Guitar Man, premiered on 30 May 2025.
  • Not established. The allegations her family made in 2025 about her past relationship with Kim Soo Hyun. Police closed the family's complaint in 2026 without charge; the record is on our separate page.
  • Corrected. An earlier version said no cause of death had been announced; police gave one on 17 February 2025.
  1. 30 May 2025 Her final film, Guitar Man, premieres
  2. 19 February 2025 Funeral procession at Asan Medical Center, Seoul
  3. 17 February 2025 Police say there is no sign of foul play
  4. 16 February 2025 Found at her home in Seongdong District, Seoul, aged 24
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This report is an original write-up based on the statements cited above. Claims that no named source has confirmed are not reported as fact, and the page shows a new date whenever it is updated.