South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron found dead at home

South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron has died at the age of 24. She was found dead at her home in Seoul on Sunday evening by a friend who alerted the authorities. Police have stated that no signs of foul play were present at the scene and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death is underway.

Kim began her career as a child actor achieving early success with roles in films such as A Brand New Life, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and The Man from Nowhere South Korea's highest grossing film of 2010. She also starred in The Neighbour and A Girl at My Door and television series like Mirror of the Witch. Her promising career however was interrupted in 2022 following a drink-driving incident. She was fined 20 million won (£11000) in April 2023 and subsequently struggled to secure new acting roles. Her last appearance was in the 2023 Netflix drama Bloodhounds though her role was significantly reduced due to the earlier incident.

Reports suggest Kim had been planning a comeback with a new film Guitar Man and a new stage name Kim Ah-im. An acquaintance told press that Kim had spoken of her plans to return to acting and open a cafe. They expressed shock at her sudden death stating that there had been no indication of any problems.

Kim had reportedly finished filming Guitar Man in November and the film is currently in post-production. She had also attempted a stage comeback with the play Dongchimi but withdrew due to health issues. News of her death has prompted an outpouring of grief from fans online with many expressing their condolences to her family and friends.