What happened to Kim Sae-Ron? Cause of death explored after South Korean actress passes away

Trigger warning - This article mentions S*icide. Reader discretion is advised.

South Korean actress Kim Sae-Ron passed away in her home at around 4:50 pm local in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on Sunday.

The Bloodhounds star's body was discovered by her friend, who had visited her apartment when she failed to show up for a planned meet-up and subsequently called the police. According to a statement from the Seoul police on Sunday, an investigation into the cause of her death was underway. The statement also noted that there were no signs of foul play.

On Monday, the police released a statement confirming that Sae-Ron's death had been ruled a s*icide. They also added that no suicide note had been found.

"We believe she made an extreme choice and plan to handle it as a suicide.” said the official in his statement, as reported by the Yonhap News Agency.

Kim Sae Ron's tragic career-ruining tragedy

The young actress was once regarded as one of the most gifted rising stars in the industry. However, her career suffered a major setback when she was embroiled in a case of drunk driving. She crashed her car into a guardrail, causing a power outage in the neighboring areas. The actress later was fined 20 million won.

In a statement, the actress apologized for the incident:

"There is no excuse for this unfortunate incident and I am so disappointed and ashamed of my mistake. I will reflect again and again, so that this never happens again. I'm sorry."

The incident sparked severe backlash and widespread criticism on social media, where she was strongly criticized for her behavior. According to reports, the incident also led to her departing from the SBS drama Trolley.

Since the incident, the actress had kept a low profile and did not make regular appearances in films, with Bloodhounds being her last acting credit.

According to a friend of the late actress, Kim Sae-Ron was planning a comeback and also wished to start her own cafe.

“She said she’d make money acting again after making a comeback with the film The Guitar Man. She was preparing to open a café while also getting ready to return to the entertainment industry. I still can’t believe it." she friend said in a statement to the local media outlet Onsen.

A look back at Kim Sae-Ron's life and career

Kim SaeR-Ron was born on July 31, 2000, and made her acting debut at the young age of 9 in the film A Brand New Life. Later, she went on to appear in a series of highly acclaimed movies like The Man from Nowhere, which became the highest-grossing movie in South Korea that year. She also starred in The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim, The Villagers, and Secret Healer, among others.

Throughout her career, the talented actress earned numerous accolades, including some of the most prestigious honors like the Baeksang Arts Award, Blue Dragon Film Award, MBC Drama Awards, and Grand Bell Awards.

Fans and fellow co-stars have expressed their heartfelt condolences following the tragic passing of Kim Sae Ron.