Embattled South Korean superstar Kim Soo Hyun has personally addressed a growing scandal about the nature of his relationship with late actress Kim Sae-ron for the first time, in a closely watched saga that has roiled the country’s entertainment industry.

IU, who recently starred in When Life Gives You Tangerines, has found herself at the center of the Kim Sae Ron and Kim Soo Hyun controversy, because of her long-standing friendship with Soo Hyun.

At a surprise press conference, Kim Soo-hyun denied claims he groomed Kim Sae-ron, who died by suicide in February.