South Korean Actress Kim Sae-Ron Has Died At 24

South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron has died at the age of 24. Her death was reported to the police by a friend who came to visit her Seongdong home in Seoul on the afternoon of Feb. 17. The police confirmed that the actress died on Feb. 16. The cause of her death continues to be investigated, but the police reported no signs of a break-in or any foul play.

Born in 2000, Kim debuted as a child actress when she was nine years old. She became a popular child star through the films A Brand New Life (2009) and The Man From Nowhere (2010). Considered a child prodigy, Kim won several awards for her first two roles, including Best New Actress at the Korean Film Awards and Buil Film Awards.

As a teenager Kim appeared in more roles, notably in the film A Girl at My Door (2014), in which she played a victim of bullying and domestic violence. Her performance was praised by critics and she was nominated for several awards, winning Best New Actress at the 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards and Golden Cinematography Awards.

She also starred in Korean TV dramas such as Listen to My Heart (2011) and The Queen’s Classroom (2013), for which she won a Best Young Actress Award at the 2013 MBC Drama Awards. She appeared in Hi! School-Love On in 2014 and her first adult lead role was in the k-drama Secret Healer (2016), in which she played a cursed Joseon-era princess.

In 2022, she was set to play the lead in the SBS TV drama Trolley, when she was involved in a car crash that led to drunk driving charges being filed against her. The court imposed a hefty fine. Public backlash forced Kim to take some time off from her career. In Oct. 2024 she was reported to be starring in a new low-budget film by Shin Jae-ho, who directed Ditto and 100 Days With Mr Arrogant.

Funeral arrangements have not been made public.