Kim Se Ui, the operator of the controversial YouTube channel HoverLab, also known as Garo Sero Research Institute, has reportedly been placed in a solitary cell at the Seoul Detention Center while facing multiple criminal charges linked to actor Kim Soo Hyun and the late actress Kim Sae Ron.
According to reports released on June 29, Kim has been staying in a single-occupancy detention cell since early June after being transferred from the Gangnam Police Station detention facility. His arrest warrant was approved last month by the Seoul Central District Court.
South Korea’s prison system usually places detainees in shared cells. However, solitary placement may be granted when authorities believe extra protection or security is needed.
Reports said Kim’s lawyers raised concerns about possible retaliation while he remains detained. Those concerns reportedly grew after another YouTuber, Eun Hyun Jang, made threatening remarks during a livestream shortly after Kim’s arrest.
According to Koreaboo, Eun allegedly warned Kim of retaliation and even encouraged prison cell leaders to contact him, promising financial compensation in exchange for “handling” the situation. The comments were widely viewed online as direct threats.
Kim Se Ui was also recently indicted while in detention. Prosecutors charged him with defamation under South Korea’s Information and Communications Network Act, violations of anti-stalking laws, and the distribution of illegally produced images under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act.
Kim Se Ui Allegedly Used AI Audio
Authorities accused Kim of spreading false claims about Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron through YouTube livestreams and press conferences between March and May last year.
Prosecutors said he falsely claimed that Kim Soo Hyun dated Kim Sae Ron for several years beginning when she was still a minor. He also allegedly accused the actor of pressuring the actress over debt repayment and claimed it contributed to her death.
Investigators further stated that Kim used manipulated materials and even generative AI technology to create false audio recordings that appeared to imitate Kim Sae Ron’s voice, AllKPop reported.
Prosecutors said forensic analysis and victim interviews helped confirm that several claims had been distorted or fabricated without proper fact-checking.
Police reportedly argued during the warrant request that Kim knowingly spread false information despite understanding that Kim Soo Hyun had never dated the actress while she was underage and was not responsible for her death.
Kim later challenged the legality of his detention, but the court rejected the request.
The YouTuber is scheduled to appear in court on July 14 for the first hearing in the Kim Soo Hyun defamation case. He is also expected to stand trial on August 13 on separate charges involving alleged stalking and intimidation of popular Mukbang creator Tzuyang.