Kim Sae-ron, South Korean Actress Known for ‘A Brand New Life’ and ‘The Man From Nowhere,’ Dies at 24
Kim Sae-ron, a promising young South Korean actress known for her roles in A Brand New Life (2009) and The Man From Nowhere (2010), South Korea’s highest-grossing film of 2010, has died. She was 24.
Kim was found dead in her home in Seoul on Sunday, by a friend who had plans to meet with her, police told South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The police said there were no signs of foul play yet, but they were investigating the circumstances of her death.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
On Monday, Yonhap reported that police said her death would be ruled a suicide.
“We believe she made an extreme choice and plan to handle it as a suicide,” a police official told reporters.
Born in 2000 in Seoul, Kim began her career as a child actress, reportedly becoming one of the youngest performers to be invited to Cannes for her role in A Brand New Life. She went on to star in The Man From Nowhere and the 2012 film The Neighbor.
Her other credits include the films A Girl at My Door (2014), Snowy Road (2015) and The Villagers (2018) and the TV series Mirror of the Witch (2016) and Bloodhounds (2023). She won awards for her roles in A Brand New Life, The Man From Nowhere, A Girl At My Door, Snowy Road and Mirror of the Witch.
In 2022, she crashed her car into a guardrail and a transformer and was found guilty of driving under the influence. The incident cut off electricity to 57 stores in the area for nearly three hours, Yonhap reported. She was later sentenced to a fine of 20 million won.
Kim sought to return to acting via a role in a play in 2024 but following controversy she dropped out over health issues, Yonhap reported.
Feb. 17, 4:08 p.m. This story has been updated with police saying her death would be ruled a suicide.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
