What Has Actress Kim Sae Ron Been Up To Since Her DUI Incident?

Ten months ago, actress Kim Sae Ron got in a car accident while driving under the influence, and on the morning of March 8, she appeared in court for her first trial.

On May 18, 2022, Kim Sae Ron drove under the influence at 8:00 am and crashed into an electric transformer, which caused a power outage at 57 nearby stores, disrupting their businesses for almost five hours. It was revealed that her blood alcohol level was 0.2%, which was the level of license revocation.

The Seoul Central District Court held its first trial against Kim Sae Ron, who was charged with violating the Road Traffic Act for driving drunk. Mr. A, who was riding in Kim Sae Ron’s car at the time of the accident, was also tried. Upon arrival, reporters asked the actress many questions, but Kim Sae Ron did not respond and headed straight into the courtroom.

At the trial, Kim Sae Ron recalled the accident saying, “I called a driver to pick me up at a specific location, and I drove to the location thinking it was a short distance.”

She then stated that she quit drinking after the incident and pled for mercy.

This will never happen again. I’m sorry. I regret my actions and am reflecting on them. I’ve quit drinking and sold my vehicle. I’m the breadwinner for my family, but it has been difficult for me to make ends meet. Please have mercy.

The prosecution stated, “Considering the fact that she confessed to the crime and made efforts to restore the damage, she is sentenced to a fine of ₩20.0 million KRW (about $15,200 USD), and Mr. A is sentenced to a fine of ₩5.00 million KRW (about $3,790 USD).”

After the trial, Kim Sae Ron was seen with her head bowed low as she answered the reporters’ questions. When asked about what she was doing these days, she replied, “I’ve spent my time working a part-time job.” Last November, her agency at the time confirmed that she was working at a cafe due to financial hardship.

When asked if she plans to come back as an actress, she replied with tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry.”

After the accident in May of last year, Kim Sae Ron went to the businesses affected by her accident to apologize and give compensation. She also posted a handwritten apology, saying, “I have caused harm to too many people. I should have acted more cautiously and responsibly, but I failed to do so… I sincerely apologize. I will do my best to resolve this.”

Since then, she stopped her activities as an actress, and her contract with her agency was also terminated.

The final sentence for Kim Sae Ron’s DUI case will be announced on April 5.