In the evening of March 29, YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as “Garo Sero”), sparked controversy after calling out actor and ASTRO member Cha Eun Woo in a livestream broadcast, accusing him of betraying Kim Sae-ron.

Particularly, via the broadcast, the channel’s host harshly criticized Cha Eun Woo for how he treated the late actress, starting with saying that Kim Sae Ron was formerly a child actress under Fantagio, the same agency as ASTRO. She reportedly shared a close friendship with the late Moonbin, and by extension, was also friendly with Cha Eun Woo. Garo Sero emphasized that after Moonbin’s passing, Kim Sae Ron wrote a tearful letter mourning him — yet when tragedy struck her, Cha Eun Woo remained absent.

“Let me also talk about something I’ve been holding back. And this is important. Cha Eunwoo-ssi. I hope you’re ashamed. Cha Eunwoo is signed to Fantagio. Kim Sae Ron was once signed to Fantagio as well. So Kim Sae Ron and ASTRO’s Moonbin were good friends. Cha Eunwoo, too, even though there was a bit of an age gap. After Moonbin passed, Kim Sae Ron wrote him a letter. But when Kim Sae Ron passed, Cha Eunwoo did not come to her funeral. Why didn’t he show?” Garo Sero said, clearly enraged.

Garo Sero alleged that a Fantagio manager (known to be Cha Eun Woo’s manager), who previously worked with Kim Sae Ron, was the one who leaked the infamous poker bar photos to Dispatch, labeling him as “Dispatch’s dog.” He also claimed the manager tried to dissuade Kim Sae Ron’s family from collaborating with Garo Sero, offering to connect them with “good press” — right before Dispatch allegedly contacted them.

“Cha Eun Woo’s manager called Kim Sae Ron’s family and said things like, ‘Don’t meet Kim Soo Hyun anymore, and ‘We’ll get you in touch with a major outlet.’ And not long after, Dispatch released an article exposing her for gambling,” Garo Sero revealed. However, he also claimed that the moment the manager’s call ended, Dispatch contacted the late actress’ family.

The YouTuber asserted that the photos of Kim Sae Ron playing poker, which led to gambling rumors, could have only come from someone extremely close to her, strongly insinuating that the source was Cha Eun Woo’s manager, who likely “collaborated” with Dispatch to orchestrate the leak.

“Cha Eun Woo, I know who your manager is. He’s going to hell. And you, you will be punished too,” Garosero concluded with a powerful statement that sent shockwaves through the online community.

Despite a lack of concrete evidence in the video, Garo Sero stood by his allegations, insisting he “knew” what he was talking about. Meanwhile, comments mentioning ‘Manager Noh’ – a longtime figure known among ASTRO fans for his years with the group – began circulating, and notably, Garo Sero ‘liked’ one of the comments, further fueling speculation.

Netizens are now divided over whether Kim Se Ui can be trusted, especially on platforms like Pann, where heated debates have broken out. While some believe his claims, others remain skeptical, citing his controversial past and questioning his credibility as Kim Sae Ron’s family’s spokesperson.

Comments on Pann:

1. Celebrities’ images all seem like just a show ㅋㅋㅋ The ones Dispatch said they couldn’t dig up any dirt on (like Kim Soo Hyun) are usually the ones with the messiest private lives and the most skeletons in the closet.
2. To state the facts: At Fantagio, there isn’t a manager assigned exclusively to Cha Eun Woo. The managers who work with Cha Eun Woo also handle other celebrities, rotating responsibilities. So there’s really no reason to blame Cha Eun Woo personally for this.
3. I just watched it, and it doesn’t even seem like Cha Eun Woo did anything seriously wrong, but the comments are tearing him apart, calling him Chinese and all sorts of stuff…
4. It’s possible he couldn’t attend the funeral – blaming Cha Eun Woo is just too much. Even if he was close with Kim Sae Ron back when they were in the same agency as kids, they’re not exactly best friends now. So why drag Cha Eun Woo into this?
5. Cha Eun Woo didn’t go? But how do we even know, he could’ve gone privately later. Yet people are still blaming him for this.

In the midst of swirling accusations and heated speculation, the situation remains murky – with no solid evidence and growing doubts about the credibility of key sources like Garo Sero. While emotions continue to run high, particularly regarding the involvement of Cha Eunwoo and Fantagio, many netizens are calling for a more rational perspective, reminding others that assumptions without proof can do more harm than good.