Actress Lee El has addressed criticism regarding the late Kim Sae Ron, expressing her frustration on social media about how a 9-year-old child in the industry is pushed by their parents, while a 15-year-old is unfairly judged and labeled a gold digger. Although Lee El did not give specific details, her comments are assumed to be linked to the negative public sentiment towards Kim Sae Ron after recent allegations.

Previously, Kim Sae Ron's family asserted her past relationship with actor Kim Soo Hyun when she was a minor, raising concerns about grooming. However, Kim Soo Hyun's agency has strongly refuted these claims as entirely false.

Tragically, Kim Sae Ron was discovered deceased at her Seoul residence on February 16th at the age of 25. On March 17th, the family's legal representative filed a defamation lawsuit against a former entertainment journalist YouTuber for spreading misinformation.

The legal team voiced their disappointment in Kim Soo Hyun for not acknowledging the relationship to counter the false claims and for sending legal notices instead of a personal response when Kim Sae Ron reached out for help.