South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seoul on Sunday, nearly two years after stepping away from the public eye following a drunk driving conviction. She was 24.
According to police, a friend discovered Kim's body, and while no signs of foul play were found, authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, a police official told CNN.
Kim rose to fame as a child actress, earning international recognition for her role in the 2009 film A Brand New Life, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She later starred in the 2010 action film The Man from Nowhere, the 2012 thriller The Neighbors, and the 2014 drama A Girl at My Door, among numerous other film and television roles.
However, her career took a downturn after a Seoul court found her guilty of driving under the influence in April 2023. The incident, which occurred a year prior, resulted in a crash in the South Korean capital. Kim avoided jail time but was fined approximately $14,000. Her last known role was in Netflix's 2023 K-drama Bloodhounds.
Kim's final Instagram post, a photo shared in January, has garnered over 205,000 likes. Comments on her account remain disabled.
Following the news of her passing, fellow Korean celebrities paid tribute to Kim. Actress Kim Ok-bin shared an image of a white chrysanthemum—a symbol of mourning in many Asian cultures—alongside the message, "May you rest in peace."
Actor Kim Min-che, who played Kim's father in The Neighbors, posted a still from the film, writing, "I was so happy to meet you as my daughter in the movie. May you rest in peace."
Kim's death adds to growing concerns about mental health struggles within South Korea's entertainment industry.
In recent years, the industry has lost several young stars, including K-pop idols Moon Bin of ASTRO, who died at 25 in 2023, and Sulli, who died in 2019 at the same age. SHINee's Kim Jong-hyun also died in 2017 at age 27. Actor Song Jae-lim was found dead in his apartment last November at 39.
