The direct reason Kim Hye-soo began trending in search rankings was public remarks by broadcaster and interviewer Ha Ji-young. In a YouTube video released on September 2, 2026, Ha Ji-young described Kim Hye-soo as the senior colleague she respects most and said that, during a period when she was studying on her own, Kim recommended a lecture on film and music. After the remarks were reported by multiple media outlets on September 3, related search terms appear to have risen.
Key Change
The first distinction to make in this issue is between “Ha Ji-young’s public remarks” and “official confirmation from Kim Hye-soo’s side.” What has currently been confirmed is that Ha Ji-young described her own experience and understanding. Media reports quoted these remarks in recounting an anecdote that Kim Hye-soo paid the lecture tuition, but no separate official statement from Kim Hye-soo or her agency has been confirmed.
Ha Ji-young explained that she received the recommendation from Kim Hye-soo while studying on her own after finishing her work on *Midnight TV Entertainment*. The recommendation was for a lecture focused on film and music, and Ha Ji-young said that she began hosting events after taking the lecture. Therefore, the anecdote is not simply a claim about financial support; it also includes the context that Ha Ji-young viewed Kim Hye-soo’s advice and recommendation as helping her transition into a new phase of her work.
The confirmed starting point is Ha Ji-young’s publicly shared account, not an official announcement from Kim Hye-soo.
Current Status
The wording about the size and cost of the lecture also requires careful interpretation. Ha Ji-young said that around 15 people attended the lecture, that the tuition was quite expensive, and that she understood Kim Hye-soo had covered the full cost. The number confirmed in this account is the size of the lecture: “a lecture attended by 15 people.”
The phrase “supporting 15 junior actors,” which appeared in some headlines, may extend beyond the meaning of the original remarks. Based on the publicly available material, it has not been confirmed exactly whom Kim Hye-soo supported, whether she paid the tuition for all 15 people, or whether there were recipients besides Ha Ji-young. The amount and timing of the support have also not been disclosed.
Another remark cited as illustrating the relationship between Kim Hye-soo and Ha Ji-young is that Kim has continued to speak formally to Ha Ji-young for 20 years. Ha Ji-young described Kim as the senior colleague she respects most, and this explanation was presented alongside the anecdote as part of its warm background. However, these remarks alone cannot support broader interpretations of the private details of their relationship or Kim’s reasons for providing support.
Impact
The remarks drew attention because recommendations, tuition payment, and a career transition were connected in a single account. According to Ha Ji-young, Kim Hye-soo recommended a film-and-music lecture to a junior colleague who was studying alone, and Ha Ji-young began hosting events after taking it. Readers can understand this as an example of Kim Hye-soo’s advice influencing Ha Ji-young’s career and activities.
However, what has been confirmed in current media coverage is that multiple outlets reported Ha Ji-young’s explanation. A higher number of reports does not mean that the scale or recipients of the support have received additional official confirmation. In particular, the number “15” should be read with care by distinguishing the expression about the number of people attending the lecture from the number of people receiving support.
The issue can be summarized as follows:
- Ha Ji-young described Kim Hye-soo as the senior colleague she respects most.
- Ha Ji-young said that Kim Hye-soo recommended a lecture on film and music to her.
- Ha Ji-young said she understood that Kim Hye-soo had covered the full tuition for a lecture attended by around 15 people.
- Ha Ji-young said that she began hosting events after taking the lecture.
- The support amount, timing, list of recipients, and official confirmation from Kim Hye-soo’s side have not been made public.
Next Checkpoint
Three key points require further confirmation. First is the exact name and enrollment period of the lecture Ha Ji-young mentioned. Second is the actual scope and method of the tuition support. Third is whether Kim Hye-soo or her agency officially confirms or explains the anecdote.
The current public material does not include the exact name of the lecture, the tuition amount, the timing of the support, or a list of recipients. Therefore, even if follow-up reports appear, it will first be necessary to determine whether “a lecture attended by 15 people” and “support for 15 junior colleagues” have the same meaning.
In conclusion, Kim Hye-soo’s rise in search rankings appears to have resulted from Ha Ji-young’s YouTube remarks released on September 2 and the reports by multiple media outlets on September 3 that quoted them. The lecture recommendation and tuition payment are supported by Ha Ji-young’s account, but the scale and recipients of the support have not been officially confirmed by Kim Hye-soo’s side. For now, the most accurate approach is to distinguish the context of the public remarks from what has actually been verified.