SEOUL — A YouTuber accused of using artificial intelligence-generated content to falsely claim that South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun dated a late actress while she was still a minor is set to appear in court next week, according to the court spokesperson.

The Seoul Central District Court said YouTuber Kim Se-eui’s warrant hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on May 26.

According to South Korean media reports, Kim allegedly used manipulated messenger screenshots and AI-generated audio files to support claims involving actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron.

Prosecutors reportedly sought an arrest warrant at the request of police over allegations that the YouTuber illegally distributed fabricated material.

A spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Court confirmed the hearing schedule to AFP.

Reports said Kim, a former TV journalist often described in media as a far-right figure, had posted on his YouTube channel what he claimed was the prosecution’s arrest warrant.

The document allegedly stated that he publicly played an AI-manipulated audio recording using the deceased actress’s voice.

It also said Kim Soo-hyun was undergoing psychiatric treatment due to severe emotional distress, and that the YouTuber knowingly spread false allegations for profit despite being aware that the actor and the late actress were not in a relationship during her middle school years.

In a video where he shared the document, Kim criticized the prosecutor behind the warrant request.

“The prosecutor who requested the arrest warrant should ‘be ashamed,’” he said, also asking to be sent to the detention facility where former President Yoon Suk-yeol is being held over his 2024 martial law declaration.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and Seoul Gangnam Police Station declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

However, a senior police official told AFP that media reports on the case were “not wrong” but did not confirm further details.

Kim Se-eui had alleged that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor and was responsible for her death due to pressure over debt repayment.

The allegations sparked a major scandal, leading Kim Soo-hyun to suspend public appearances and delaying a major project.

The actor has denied the claims, including in a televised news conference, saying his relationship with Kim Sae-ron began only after she reached adulthood.

He has also filed criminal complaints against the YouTuber and members of the late actress’s family for alleged defamation.

Kim Sae-ron had previously faced public backlash following a 2022 drunk-driving incident and was fined. The controversy affected her acting career, with reports saying she later took on part-time work.