Fame and Fortune

Choi Jin-Sil

From today's edition of The Korea Herald:

"Autopsy Suggests Actress Hanged Self

Police yesterday provisionally concluded Choi Jin-sil, the nation's long-adored iconic actress "impulsively" committed suicide Thursday, based on evidence from a preliminary autopsy finding, her diary, mobile phone records and statements from her family and close associates.

"The National Institute of Scientific Investigation's preliminary autopsy results show that she hanged herself, and all evidence we have gathered so far indicates she killed herself on the spur of the moment," said an official at the Seocho Police Station.

Following the initial autopsy conducted Thursday night, the state coroner said that Choi strangled herself, and that there were no signs of foul play as no external wounds were discovered. It will take about two weeks to verify whether her death resulted from an intake of drugs or other substances, the coroner said.

The 39-year-old actress, whose stellar career spanned the last two decades, was found hanging in the shower stall in her residence in Seoul with a bandage tightened around her neck at around 6:15 a.m. Thursday.

Choi is said to have seriously agonized over what she contended were baseless rumors, which began circulating after the alleged suicide of Ahn Jae-hwan. Ahn, 36, another much-beloved actor, was faltering under snowballing debts from his moribund businesses. Choi was rumored to have lent a considerable amount of money to Ahn and pressured him to repay her.

Choi had frequently expressed suicidal thoughts days before her death, even saying that she preferred to be cremated and spread over a mountain, according to the police.

"Choi told her manager the night before her death that she felt extremely frustrated that she might not be able to attend her children's sports meeting Friday (because of the public perception against her amid the rumors)," an investigator said.

On Tuesday, Choi wept hard the whole night following the telephone conversation with the suspect charged with having spread the rumors on the internet, the police said. The next day, Choi went out for shooting for a pharmaceuticals commercial, but failed to finish it because her face was swollen due to lack of sleep and her crying the previous night.

Choi, then, drank with the head of her entertainment company, and told him that she would retire and wished to die, police said. On the day of her death, Choi briefly talked with a women-magazine reporter over the phone, saying, "This may be the last talk with you, and please carefully watch my kids growing up."

She had a son and a daughter, aged seven and five, respectively, from her ill-fated marriage with former pro baseball player Cho Sung-min.

Investigators are also looking into her diary, where she detailed her daily battles with living as a public figure struggling to maintain her star status in the midst of a series of false accusations.

"I am a loner and social outcast, and I felt choked," she was quoted by the police as saying in her diary.

Police have found no evidence yet regarding the rumors that Choi was a loan shark.

"At this point of time, no evidence has emerged about the allegations that Choi operated a private loan business," said an investigator.

"We also investigated the phone records of Ahn and other related people, and found nothing related to Choi."

The official said that there will not be any further inquiry into the authenticity of the allegation. Currently, police are investigating a securities firm employee who was booked late last month on charges of having spread the rumors.

The death of Choi has added to the recent calls to devise stern measures against cyberspace libel. The government and the ruling Grand National Party have been pushing for such measures, while critics have denounced them, citing the possibility of hampering freedom of expression.

Choi will be cremated this morning in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The burial is set to be held in a cemetery in Yangsuri, Gyeonggi Province.

By Song Sang-ho
(sshluck@heraldm.com)
2008.10.04"

Both of her kids attend my school. Her daughter is in the room next to mine. My friend Chris is her teacher. I talked to her and played with her the day before her mom died. It's such a sad thing that this happened. I can't imagine what is happening in those 5 and 7 year old minds. It also goes to show that money and fame are not all they're cracked up to be. Choi Jin-sil was one of Korea's most beloved actresses and a good mom. Everyone in this country knew her, and she was about as rich as anyone could hope to be. But in the end, those things drove her to the edge and right over it. So sad. Please pray for her children.