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Kim Soo Hyun’s agency CONFIRMS past relationship with Kim Sae Ron in official statement; rubbish claims of involvement in actress’ death by suicide | – The Times of India

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Kim Soo Hyun’s agency CONFIRMS past relationship with Kim Sae Ron in official statement; rubbish claims of involvement in actress’ death by suicide | – The Times of India


Actor Kim Soo Hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, has released a detailed official statement addressing the swirling allegations regarding his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron.
The statement, prompted by reports from YouTube channel HOVERLAB, refutes claims that Kim Soo Hyun was involved with the late actress while she was a minor and that he played a role in her tragic demise on his birthday in February 2025.
Gold Medalist issued the statement, noting that it was to address key points of this recent allegations and admitted that it ‘may not be entirely satisfactory’, as they had originally planned to release the statement on a later date. As reported by allkpop.om, the agency confirmed that Soo Hyun and Sae Ron were in a relationship, but stated that the romance began in the summer of 2019 and lasted a year, until the autumn 2020, after she had reached the legal age of adulthood. The agency categorically denied allegations that the actor had been romantically involved with her, while she was a minor.
The statement read, “Kim Soo Hyun began dating Kim Sae Ron in summer of 2019, after she became of legal age, and their relationship continued until autumn of 2020. It is not true that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron while she was a minor. The photo revealed by Kim Sae Ron on March 24, 2024, and the photo revealed by HOVERLAB on March 11, 2025, were both taken on a day in winter of 2020, when the two were still dating. The clothing worn by Kim Sae Ron was an item released by a certain clothing brand in June of 2019. Therefore, HOVERLAB’s claim that the photo was taken in 2016, when Kim Sae Ron was a minor, cannot be true.”
The agency noted that metadata from one image confirmed it was taken on December 24, 2019. Additionally, a clothing item worn by Kim Sae Ron in the photos was only released in June 2019, further debunking the claim that they were taken earlier. “All of the photos revealed by HOVERLAB were taken after Kim Sae Ron became an adult. Despite HOVERLAB’s claims that there are multiple photos of the two taken in 2016, when Kim Sae Ron was a minor, such photos do not exist because they were not dating in 2016.”
Gold Medalist also addressed the letter Kim Soo Hyun allegedly wrote to Kim Sae Ron during his mandatory military service, clarifying that it was a personal letter to a close acquaintance rather than a romantic note. The statement read, “The letter that Kim Soo Hyun addressed to Kim Sae Ron during his mandatory service was a private letter sent to a close acquaintance. As the letter has shown, Kim Soo Hyun was adjusting to life in the military while sharing his day to day activities with his close acquaintance. However, in order to fabricate the story that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron since 2015, HOVERLAB falsely claimed that photos taken after Kim Sae Ron had become an adult were taken while she was still a minor. The YouTube channel also purposely revealed a postcard sent by Kim Soo Hyun while he was still dating Kim Sae Ron along with the letter he sent during his military service to make it seem as if the letter was also a love letter, when this was not the case. Furthermore, the nickname Saero Nero is a nickname that Kim Sae Ron has used publicly since 2016, not a nickname used only by Kim Soo Hyun.”
The statement expressed deep concern over the spread of misinformation and the violation of privacy that both Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron’s families have suffered. They also criticized HOVERLAB for allegedly ‘distorting facts’ while raising accusations against the actor. “Although a relationship between two adults is a matter of privacy, as a public figure, Kim Soo Hyun’s private life is bound to receive criticism from the masses, and this is a fact that must be accepted. However, HOVERLAB is currently spreading misinformation and lies indiscriminately. The individual who provided HOVERLAB with the information that formed the basis of the YouTube channel’s claims has stated that they are Kim Sae Ron’s relative. Yet, according to one media outlet, this individual is an acquaintance of Kim Sae Ron’s mother, not her relative. The YouTube channel is fabricating unconfirmed rumors based on information provided by an individual whose identity cannot be verified. Because of this outsider, the privacy of both Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron has been severely violated. The spread of these baseless rumors and speculations is detrimental not only to Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron, but also their families and loved ones.”
Kim Soo Hyun acknowledged that, as a public figure, his personal life may be subject to scrutiny. However, he and his agency argued that fabrications and unverified allegations should not be accepted as truth.
“Kim Soo Hyun is under no impression that he can go on avoiding the criticism and judgment of the public now that matters related to his private life have been publicized. However, a normal relationship between two adults has somehow become a sensationalized story at the hands of others with no direct involvement. Personal attacks based on unconfirmed stories of this degree are too much for a single person. Not to mention, these actions are severely defaming the deceased,” the statement read.
Among the many allegations, were HOVERLAB claiming that Kim Soo Hyun and his agency abandoned Kim Sae Ron in her financial hardships following her DUI incident, ultimately contributing to her passing. Gold Medalist denied this, stating that the company took active steps to support her. “After her DUI accident, Gold Medalist worked with Kim Sae Ron to resolve all fees and damages, including the damages incurred by the businesses who were affected by the accident.”
According to the statement, the total damages incurred due to Kim Sae Ron’s DUI case amounted to approximately 1.114 billion KRW ($765,000 USD). “Gold Medalist did all we could to reduce the amount that Kim Sae Ron had to pay off herself. Through the efforts of Gold Medalist and Kim Sae Ron, the damages were reduced to 700 billion KRW (~ $481,000 USD). The repair and sale of Kim Sae Ron’s vehicle was among the efforts to reduce the total amount in damages. This was done by Gold Medalist under Kim Sae Ron’s consent. Contrary to the claims by HOVERLAB, Gold Medalist did not steal Kim Sae Ron’s vehicle to pay off her debt.”
The statement further clarified that Kim Soo Hyun never personally lent Kim Sae Ron money nor did he attempt to retrieve any financial assistance from her. Gold Medalist maintained that all financial matters between the company and the late actress were handled professionally, with legal safeguards in place to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Concluding the statement, the agency emphasized that the damaging effects of baseless rumours, sensationalized reports and misrepresenting facts, not only harms those involved but also disrespects the memory of the deceased. “Just because Kim Soo Hyun is a public figure, that does not mean that he must sit by idly while countless lies are fabricated about him, nor should he endure the flood of personal attacks against him without response. Kim Soo Hyun will acknowledge the responsibilities associated with the nonconsensual exposure of his private life, that which has already been publicized and that which may be publicized from now on. However, we would like to ask if it is truly the right of the public to go on gaining unchecked access to an individual’s privacy without that person’s consent as has been the case this past week.”





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Bobby Deol praises Sandeep Reddy Vanga, recalls being discovered for Animal: ‘He’s the best I’ve worked with in 30 years’ | Hindi Movie News – The Times of India

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Bobby Deol praises Sandeep Reddy Vanga, recalls being discovered for Animal: ‘He’s the best I’ve worked with in 30 years’ | Hindi Movie News – The Times of India


Bobby Deol, who left audiences stunned with his intense performance in Animal, recently spoke to Instant Bollywood about the unexpected way he landed the role and the deep admiration he holds for director Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
A photograph from tough times changed everything
Reflecting on the beginning of this journey, Bobby revealed that it wasn’t a traditional audition or industry connection that got him noticed, it was an old photo. “Sandeep said, ‘Sir, I want you for this film because I saw this photograph of you and I love the expression in it.’ And that photo is from a time when I was struggling a lot, almost out of work. I was playing some cricket and someone must have snapped a picture of it. That’s how it all came about.”
The most inspiring director of his career
In his three-decade-long journey in Bollywood, Bobby has worked with many directors. But his words about Sandeep Reddy Vanga carried an extra weight of respect and appreciation. “I think Sandeep Reddy Vanga is incredible. In my 30 years of experience in this industry, I believe he’s the best director I’ve ever worked with. Not just because Animal became a big hit, but I think he really is something special.”

Bobby Deol’s Emotional Interview on ‘Animal’ success, his son’s reaction and rift with Imtiaz Ali

Bold storytelling that breaks the mold
What impressed Bobby the most was Sandeep’s bold vision, one that doesn’t play by the rules or follow formulas. “Because he makes every character come alive, you know? His way of thinking is just so different. Everyone else plays it safe, but he doesn’t; he just goes for it. It’s incredible.”





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When Khushbu Sundar revealed she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8: ‘A man who probably thought it was his birthright to…’ | – The Times of India

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When Khushbu Sundar revealed she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8: ‘A man who probably thought it was his birthright to…’ | – The Times of India


Khushbu Sundar is one of the most well-known actresses in South Indian cinema. Born as Nakhat Khan into a middle-class Muslim family, she grew up in Mumbai. Over the years, she has become a beloved star, especially in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada films, where fans continue to admire her.
A Storied Career in Film
Khushbu made her debut as a child actress in the 1980 film The Burning Train and has since acted in over 185 films across various regional languages. Beyond her successful acting career, she is also a prominent politician. In 2020, she joined the BJP and now serves as a member of its National Executive Committee.
Beyond Acting: Khushbu’s Political Journey
Khushbu is not only an actress and politician but also a passionate activist advocating for women’s rights. She is known for her boldness and honesty, often speaking candidly about her personal struggles. One of the most tragic experiences in her life was enduring sexual abuse by her father, a difficult chapter she has courageously opened up about.

Facing sexual abuse in young age
In conversation with Barkha Dutt on her show, Mojo Story, Khushbu opened up about her sexual abuse story and stated that the scars would remain with her throughout her life.
She said, “I think when a child is abused, it scars the child for life and it’s not about a girl or a boy. My mother has been through the most abusive marriage. A man who probably thought it was his birthright to beat up his wife, beat up his children, sexually abuse his only daughter. When my abuse started I was just 8 years old and I had the courage to speak against him when I was 15.”

During the conversation, the actress revealed that the fear of facing more abuse kept her silent for years. She also shared her concern that her mother might not believe her. However, by the time she turned 15, she began to resist her father’s advances, which eventually led to him leaving the family.
Khushbu’s Healing Journey
Khushbu’s healing journey started when she and her family moved to Chennai. Her hairdresser, a single mother, noticed her father’s inappropriate behavior. She had seen Khushbu being beaten by him in hotel rooms and on shooting sets. It was the hairdresser who encouraged Khushbu to speak up and stand up for herself.





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What ails the Indian museum today?

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What ails the Indian museum today?


What is a museum, really? A building that houses objects? A temple of knowledge? A vault of the past? Or a theatre of the present? The answers are as complex as the institution’s foundational contradiction. Museums claim to preserve and protect, but they also curate and construct. The question of publicness is key. For most Indians, a visit to the museum is still a rare event — more school trip than weekend ritual.

A museum’s power lies not just in its artefacts, but in its audience. We must ask: what kind of history do we want told? Who gets to do the telling? Can we, as citizens in a democracy, demand more nuance, more truth? Can museums become pedagogical spaces, where history is not just consumed but interrogated. Where young people learn not just what happened, but why it matters, and who it mattered to.

Sarnath Banerjee’s Spectral Times at BDL Museum

The politics of display

India is undergoing a museum-building renaissance. Across the country, state and private actors are investing in ambitious cultural institutions — from the redevelopment of the National Museum in New Delhi to regional centres of memory and art. Yet, beneath the sleek architecture and nation-branding optimism lies an urgent question: what is being built, by whom, and for whom? What is being remembered, and what is being erased?

According to the Ministry of Culture, over 100 new experiential museums are in the pipeline, although details about their themes, timelines, and locations remain largely unspecified. The National Museum is set to be relocated as a part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, but there is no public clarity yet on the fate of its artefacts — one of the largest and most significant collections in the country.

Museums have always shaped public memory. As the state increasingly centralises control over historical narrative, they risk becoming not a space of learning but of persuasion. The challenge, then, is not just to fill galleries with new stories, but to reimagine the very idea of the institution.

From colonial cabinets to national canons

India’s earliest museums were built by colonial powers as instruments of classification and control. They displayed conquest as culture, and placed Indian craft and labour within a framework that rendered it primitive, decorative, or ethnographic.

Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, director of Mumbai’s Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (BDL), reminds us that these institutions were never neutral. In her essay ‘Decolonising the Museum’, she writes that colonial museums functioned to “present the coloniser as benefactor whose systems of organisation and codification represented a better model for development”. The BDL itself, formerly the Victoria and Albert Museum, Mumbai, was filled with clay figurines, dioramas, and decorative objects intended to showcase India’s “traditional” manual skills — useful to colonial trade, but stripped of intellectual or artistic legitimacy.

Tasneem Zakaria Meht

Tasneem Zakaria Meht

Since its restoration and reopening in 2008, BDL has sought to reverse this narrative. Mehta’s curatorial vision actively foregrounds the Indian artist and craftsperson, reinterpreting the museum’s colonial collections through contemporary cultural practice. The museum’s ongoing collaboration with contemporary artists such as Reena Saini Kallat, whose 2025 retrospective Cartographies of the Unseen addressed themes of injustice and human hubris, reflects BDL’s commitment to decolonial and inclusive storytelling.

Beyond preservation

But how do we build new museums — conceptually, not just architecturally — that respond to today’s social and political complexities? At the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru, this question is at the heart of curatorial practice. “We’re at a moment where we need to recognise that museums are not just spaces to preserve heritage, but also spaces that help us understand the present through the lens of the past,” says Arnika Ahldag, director of exhibitions and curation. “At MAP, we see this as a responsibility — to challenge dominant narratives and amplify voices that have historically been marginalised.” In 2023, MAP presented VISIBLE/INVISIBLE, an exhibition that critically examined the portrayal of women in art, highlighting both visibility and erasure in historical narratives.

Arnika Ahldag

Arnika Ahldag

Shailesh Kulal, inclusion manager, leading the VISIBLE/INVISIBLE guided walk

Shailesh Kulal, inclusion manager, leading the VISIBLE/INVISIBLE guided walk

“It’s about shifting from the museum as gatekeeper to the museum as a collaborative space for dialogue,” she adds. “We often show objects [like kanthas] that people might have in their own homes. That kind of familiarity invites participation, not passivity.” Despite such initiatives, there remains a need to further explore other marginalised perspectives, such as those from Dalit and Adivasi communities, to ensure a more inclusive curatorial approach.

Who gets to curate culture?

This question of relevance is inseparable from power, and participation is not just about display — it’s about voice. Who curates? Who funds? Shaleen Wadhwana, an independent curator, arts educator and former consultant with the India Art Fair, puts it bluntly: “India is very socially stratified, so I’m hesitant to use words like ‘truly public, inclusive and accessible’ because that’s incredibly difficult to achieve. Ideologically, accessibility means that funders only fund, and don’t dictate content. It also means your staff must reflect the diversity of the public. It’s not just the curator — it’s the guard, the educator, the translator, the person in the archive.”

Shaleen Wadhwana

Shaleen Wadhwana

Her critique cuts deep. Many new museums may be visually dazzling — such as the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum — but their internal cultures often remain opaque, with little public clarity on curatorial direction, institutional staffing, or how narratives are being shaped. Publicness isn’t just about ticket prices or weekend programming. It’s about who is allowed to participate in narrative-making at every level.

Listening, not lecturing

Both MAP and BDL embody a shift from presenting knowledge to listening; treating audiences as cultural co-authors. “In the past, museums told audiences what they thought they needed to know,” says Kamini Sawhney, former director of MAP. The programming tended to be didactic, formal, and largely in English. The obscureness was echoed in the tone of the labels, too: verbose, and in hard-to-read tiny font. For many visitors, the experience was alienating — not only because of the language, but because few knew how to look at a museum object. What do you ask of a 200-year-old textile? Without interpretation that is accessible, multilingual, and context-rich, viewers are left to either quietly admire or silently withdraw.

Kamini Sawhney

Kamini Sawhney
| Photo Credit:
Prarthana Shetty

And without meaningful relationships with the public, museums risk becoming irrelevant. “Public institutions need to reflect on issues that matter to the community. Otherwise, you end up talking to yourself,” Sawhney adds. This means building trust, and trust is slow work. It’s built through transparency (about funding, process, and narrative decisions), multilingual materials, responsive education programmes, and a willingness to sit with discomfort.

India has over 1,000 museums — most of them public, and many still operating within rigid, object-led frameworks. But a few are reimagining what they can be. Mumbai’s year-old Museum of Solutions centres children as co-creators — designing exhibits that encourage play, empathy, and problem-solving.

Museum of Solution

Museum of Solution

In Amritsar, the Partition Museum foregrounds lived memory and oral histories to narrate a traumatic past with empathy and nuance. And while not a museum in the traditional sense, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has transformed how Indian publics encounter contemporary art — embedding it in urban space, community life, and critical discourse. These remain rare efforts. But taken together, they offer a glimpse of what responsive, plural, and public-facing museums could look like.

The  Partition Museum

The  Partition Museum
| Photo Credit:
Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

A space for multiplicity

No museum is neutral. Every exhibition is a series of choices: what to show, what to omit, and how to frame it. Ahldag is forthright about this curatorial labour. “We wish more people understood how much museum-making is about negotiation and care,” she says. “It’s never neutral. Every decision involves navigating histories, ethics, and our own positions of power.”

This is particularly urgent in India today, where state-endorsed narratives increasingly flatten complexity into celebration. In such a context, simply holding space for multiplicity becomes a radical act. “Curating is not just selection; it’s an ongoing conversation with artists, collaborators, and audiences,” she says. “We have to remain open to feedback, even when it challenges us.”

Reena Kallat’s Cartographies of the Unseen at BDL

Reena Kallat’s Cartographies of the Unseen at BDL
| Photo Credit:

Looking to the future

So what should the Indian museum become? It must be more than a building, it must be a method of learning, unlearning, coexisting with discomfort. It must be a space of friction, where past and present wrestle in full view of the public. As Wadhwana puts it: “Regardless of what the Centre is doing, independent curators and cultural producers will always have the responsibility to create space for artistic thought, debate, critique — and yes, dissent.” That responsibility only grows heavier when the state seeks to flatten historical narrative into celebratory consensus.

A visitor interacting with the tactile display at MAP’s Ticket Tika Chaap

A visitor interacting with the tactile display at MAP’s Ticket Tika Chaap

The Indian museum today is not an answer, it is a proposition. A site of possibility, contention, pedagogy, and repair. “Ultimately, the museum has to be a site of possibility, not of perfected narratives,” Wadhwana says. “The moment we treat it as finished, as fixed, we’ve failed its public function.”

The public has a role to play here, too. We must demand transparency, challenge silence, and see ourselves not as visitors, but as participants. We have the right — and the responsibility — to ask: whose history is this? And what are we being asked to forget? The museum must help us remember. Not just what was, but what could still be.

The essayist and educator writes on design and culture.



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