The allegations that actor Kim Soo Hyun was behind a violent attack on a whistleblower who shared a contentious recording related to the late Kim Sae Ron have been declared unfounded. The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York stated on May 19 that there is no record of any Korean national being involved in a serious criminal case like attempted murder in the U.S., as required by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

The supposed victim, known as A, had initially stated that they were stabbed nine times in the neck in New Jersey by individuals of Korean and Chinese descent, linking the incident to Kim Soo Hyun. However, the consulate verified that no such incident was reported by local authorities, and they had not been officially informed of any such case.

YouTuber Kim Se Ui, who heads the Garosero Research Institute, alleged during a press conference on May 7 that A had been attacked and the perpetrators had been apprehended. He also claimed that FBI records linked the assailants to Kim Soo Hyun through phone records.

However, discrepancies in A's account emerged when they later altered their story, stating that only their arm was injured. Their medical report showed injuries to the right shoulder and left hand, inconsistent with the initial claim of nine stab wounds to the neck.

The controversy originated from an audio recording reportedly given by A, where Kim Sae Ron was heard saying that she dated Kim Soo Hyun in 2015 when she was a minor. Journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin Ho presented a forensic analysis suggesting that the recording might have been AI-generated and altered with additional noise and a third-party voice.

Lee also alleged that A had tried to extort money from both him and Kim Soo Hyun's team, but their demand was rebuffed. While the actor's agency has not formally responded, they are said to be closely monitoring the situation.