On March 12, a Chinese blogger reignited speculation about actor Choi Hyun-wook’s alleged involvement in Kim Sae-ron’s 2022 drunk driving case, sparking heated debate online. The rumors claimed that Choi Hyun-wook was with Kim Sae-ron that night and that their agency, Gold Medalist, had deliberately concealed information about the “man in the passenger seat.”

However, on March 13, netizens quickly defended Choi Hyun-wook by citing an article from the Korean news outlet Bridge Economy, published on April 12, 2023. The article, titled “Court Sentences Kim Sae-ron’s Passenger to a 5 Million Won Fine for Aiding Drunk Driving,” provided key details contradicting the rumors.

According to the report, “A 21-year-old woman who was in the passenger seat during actress Kim Sae-ron’s drunk driving accident was sentenced to a 5 million won fine in the first trial for aiding and abetting drunk driving, as ruled by Judge Lee Hwan-ki of the Seoul Central District Court on April 12.”

This clarification confirmed that the passenger in Kim Sae-ron’s vehicle was not a male actor but a woman in her 20s who was later convicted for her involvement.