Brother of actress Choi Jin-shil posted up a note in his Cyworld announcing that he will never forgive the spreader of malicious rumors, known as “Baek”
At the end of September, police had charged Baek with spreading rumors, but nothing was done about it. And just before her death, the actress and her tormentor got into an argument.
And right after her death, the police were busy trying to sweep the incident under the rug and Baek was busy trying to run away. Choi Jin-shil’s brother added that Baek must face the public and be punished for her wrong-doing.
And we agree.
RIP…
I would feel angry too.
RIP Choi Jin-Shil.
I totally agree ! , it is about the time she should learn about her mistakes ! , at the same time i pity her , because she dident knew that it will trun out like this ! but still she should take her punishment
RIP !
RIP.
R.I.P
Agreed.
Baek had no right to call his sister, Choi Jin-sil, after posting that nonsense rumor accusing of her of untrue facts. And now, a brother, a friend, and a great and loved actress is gone.
Even though I doubt anything can be done, but I hope something does. The world is fair and I don’t wish or hope harm on others but something must be done about malicious online rumors and the ‘netizens’.
Rest in peace, Choi Jin-sil.
I totally agree that this ‘Baek’ should be punished – it doesn’t matters if ‘Baek’ thougt that it wont turn out to be like this.
It should be lesson for everybody.
Do mind your own word.
Rumors do kill!
But Choi Jin-shil should be stronger
Stood up for her rights and most importantly stood up for the sake of her child.
I hope all ppl out there
Anyone…
If you can’t face it alone - please do seek help as many as you can.
If the damn police cannot do anything, seek help from frens and family and be more mentally stronger
You did not do anything wrong… why you need to be so depress
Don’t let other ppl stump u
Think positive and think that this nightmare will over soon. It just matters of time.
Suicide is not the only answer.
Suicide will only “kill” people close to you…
i agree. they shouldn’t sweep this under the rug, that’ll hopefully teach the netizens not to spread vicious rumours online, because celebrities are people too, and they can get hurt too.
RIP CJS.
We should all take responsibility of our words.
If you don’t have any thing good to say about someone then you should never open your mouth..
She should be punished whoever this ‘Baek’ is…!
i feel for him but i don’t think that baek is the root of the real problems. it was the culmination of different factors such as depression compounded by insomnia. plus, it took more than one netizen to spread the rumor and even baek herself heard the rumors from someone else. sure, she shouldn’t have called choi to lift her sentence and she should pay a major fine and probably be banned from commenting on the internet, but the netizens are scape-goating her without really looking at their own role in the larger issues of online harassment, whether it is spreading rumors or cyber witch hunting.
@ nameless netizen — i agree with you…
I still hope that Choi’s brother will forgive the persons involved…
After this tragedy, I wonder if this ‘Baek’ person will be able to sleep restfully at night.
its called karma. Baek had it coming
Nameless netizen, you are making some sense. Also she was drinking. Depression, medication, alcohol is a deadly mix. Because of that she was more vulnerable to the rumors but I don’t think that was the main factor in her going over the edge. I still feel it’s depression. She should have gotten treatment and stayed far away from alcohol. Then she would have been to deal with all the nasty stuff from the netizens.
He was supposed to be in WGM too right? He seemed so nice there, sad to see him go through this and be filled with so much anger. It’s understandable though…
We’ll never know what eventually pushed Choi Jin shil over the edge, but neither can we discount Baek’s role in pushing her nearer.
seriously, i hope he’s following up on that crazy baek lady and throw her to jail or something.
she was weak and selfish. that’s why she killed herself. that’s effing gay to blame someone for spreading rumors. just shows how stupid korean celebrities are. put your hand in the fire on someone’s say so, no one to blame but yourself.
Still, killing yourself over a rumour, no matter how bad, is just really selfish. Not even weak or pitiful, just selfish.
I mean, if that’s the case, people in Hollywood would be dead by the hundreds. Papparazzo and tabloids are like literally spamming them on a daily basis. Michael is still alive!
@joemama: in your free time, do you blame rape victims for ‘asking for it’ too?
Depression is a serious matter. I can imagine just how bad her mental condition was before she decided to kill herself. The rumors and the viciousness of the netizens exacerbated her condition. I don’t believe Baek or any other netizen were SOLELY to blame for this tragedy. Many, many things contributed to her downward spiral. But can you deny that the internet/media culture in South Korea is damaging to both the celebrities (in facing criticism and scrutiny for every move they make?) and the netizens (investing so much into the lives of celebrities)? Do you not think something needs to be changed?
It’s amazing to me how beautiful and confident many Korean celebrities appear to be and how much all of that is a mask a lot of the time, to cover up a more sensitive soul, more easily hurt, more susceptible to the relentless hatred and viciousness spewed online as well as the massive pressure of Korean society. It saddens me, because all of these tragedies are preventable.
If those really were rumours I agree BUT no one else took Choi Jin-shil’s life other than she herself
I hope that “baek” has learned a lesson, somehow…
Yea….poor baby…I know he loved his sister!
@ketsuki. I AGREE!
I’m sure Choi Jin Shil had problems with depression before the Baek person came along and made it worse. CJS didn’t kill herself over a rumor. It’s easy for many to say ‘I want to kill myself’ or ‘I don’t want to live anymore’- but the actual suicide is very difficult. Those who commit suicide were not in the right state of mind. Depression isn’t merely ‘feeling sad’ or ‘feeling despair’. It is a mental disorder and those feelings of grief and despair become magnified exponentially. And I wish CJS had gotten psychiatric help. I think part of the reason why South Korean suicide rates are so high is because the culture makes it really taboo and Koreans are very concerned with image. In most Asian minds, mental illness doesn’t exist and they pass it off as ‘well, he’s just dumb’ or ’she’s just sad’ or ‘he is just being a bad person’.
Though I can’t say this Baek person is solely responsible, I do have to say that the police should find this person and punish her for harassing and defaming CJS and should get the same punishment as that reporter Song Il-Kook put in jail. If they never caught this Baek person, I hope she learns a lesson from this.
RIP Choi Jin Shil.
“But can you deny that the internet/media culture in South Korea is damaging to both the celebrities (in facing criticism and scrutiny for every move they make?) and the netizens (investing so much into the lives of celebrities)? Do you not think something needs to be changed?”
Well celebrities need to get together and start taking these folks to task like taking them to court. If celebrities would show a more concerted effort as a group I believe Netziens would get the message.
Also I know celebrities are human but some need to go to army boot camp and start developing a thick skin. It’s like every little thing just brings them down and they can’t accept criticism.
Nevertheless, they have drivers ride them around in their window-tinted van and some even have a GOD complex meaning they think they are all of that and when someone calls them out they start bugging out.
I don’t understand, who is Baek?
You can’t stop people from talking and spreading rumors, no matter how hateful they are. I don’t know if it’s the culture or whatever that somehow effects these celebrities, but if horrible rumors alone drove people to suicide then Hollywood would be a ghost town! Looking at her children should have given her the strength to seek help for her depression and to come out fighting against the rumors! Why would you want to leave your children motherless all because of some nameless people talking? I guess that’s a lesson for anyone else thinking of suicide. What about the people you leave behind?
im sorry…
but to kill yourself over a rumor is just ludicrous.
As a celebrity, she should’ve had tougher skin than that. You can’t arrest someone for spreading a rumor.
anyway, RIP CJS
People underestimate the power of their words and their actions. Some are more thicker skinned than others, while some can’t handle hurt/pain as much. The media reminds us often of the effects people’s words have on others. Bullies can drive little kids to kill themselves, battered wives can be driven to kill their spouses or themselves, cyber bullying can lead to suicides, etc. Though Choi Jin Shil’s death cannot be blamed on Baek solely, this person did play a crucial role in breaking Choi’s spirit and will to continue living. Depression is uncontrollable without intervention of some sort. It is a desperate attempt to end one’s uncontrollable pain - all rational thoughts get thrown out the window. In some ways, I wonder if Choi Jin Shil’s family and close circle of friends look inwardly and evaluate how they could’ve reached out to her more. Positive support system is key, and it could’ve have made a difference, had someone really taken her to seek help, or to provide constant encouragement to hold on though things were direly hopeless…
I think Choi’s death sadly is a lesson for all of us. Words do in fact kill, rational or irrational as it may sound. The world is harsh and unbearable to cope with on our own…that’s why it’s SO important to reach out when you see someone hurting emotionally and mentally, rather than spreading rumors or gossiping over it. Korea needs to address the mental health of their people. It shouldn’t be perceived as such a taboo or an emotion of weakness. Just as people have physical ailments, depression is an emotional ailment, and professional intervention is desperately needed at times.
Though I understand Choi Jin Shil’s brother’s sentiments and anger…hopefully one day he’ll find it in his heart to forgive this person. His sister’s death was driven by a culmination of various factors. Things probably could’ve gotten better for Choi had she held on a bit longer…but sadly…she was driven to suicide, which is ultimately a permanent solution…to a possibly temporary problem…
Rest in Peace Choi Jin Shil, and may we all grow from this…
Ketsuki and Asianromance,
Thank you for articulating so clearly and insightfully. It’s good for people who make snap judgements.
I also feel the relationship between the stars and fans in Korea is a little unhealthy.
I think that this whole situation is just horrible.
I am also in no position to judge how things should be or who’s wrong and stuff.
Just rest in peace Choi Jin Shil.
he’s a VERY FAMOUS MAN
and he HAS A NAME
CHOI JIN YOUNG
use his name instaed of calling him ‘choi jin shil’s brother’
please.
lol
This is the girl that spread those nasty rumors:
http://pressbox.co.kr/cgi/read.php?code=freeboard&uid=1157&page=1
look at it fast before it gets deleted. it’s getting deleted at a rapid pace.
i don’t understand how she got her choi jin shil’s number. PoPseoul u should uncover the full story!
What will he gain from Baek being publicly humiliated and what not? Nothing. Maybe a little bit of satisfaction.
I agree that the death is sad and I wish she hadn’t committed suicide (with 2 children she had)
However, to BLAME this netizen isn’t the way to go. WHY aren’t these unhappy individuals seeking HELP?? WHY? There is something about the Korean mentality about not seeking help and its rather disgusting. Admit you have a problem and then you’ll be stronger.
The recent tragedies have drawn the attention of the US Media. I found this article on Newsweek talking about the recent celebrity suicides: http://www.newsweek.com/id/164013
ketsuki… uh… difference between rape victims and “victims” of malicious rumors? give me a break. i dont’ know anyone who’d rather choose the former over the latter. but you’d probably say you’d rather get raped over being the victim of malicious rumors just to spite me. rape is assault and battery son. spreading malicious rumor is not. also, she is a celebrity. any celebrity going into the business knows something like this will frequently happen. how dare you say rape victim… makes me laugh. thanks for bolstering my argument my friend! cheers!
gosh. rip choi jin shil.
and stay strong, choi jinyoung. he seemed so happy in WGM, but now…
-sigh-
it’s true. the netizen deserves to be punished.
even though i see comments on this page that say that choi jinshil was weak and selfish? the person still caused her suicide partly. and i agree, alcohol was also mixed in, which was a mistake on choi jinshil’s part.
(to joemama: i see you everywhere on pages with news of people who commited suicide, and everytime you’re insulting and rude. you must have a a lot of fun and a wonderful conscience to be making fun of people who committed suicide. get a life.)
“she was weak and selfish. that’s why she killed herself. that’s effing gay to blame someone for spreading rumors. just shows how stupid korean celebrities are. ”
uh why are being prejudice and idiotic by claiming that all korean celebrities are stupid? Did they all commit suicide? I dont think so.
Like a lot already said, the rumors may have contributed to her death, but they ain’t the root of the problem. And it’s kinda hard to put on that tough exterior you REALLY need as a celebrity, if you’re going through depression. Ask Britney. She’s reached the top and hit the bottom all in a few years. Can you imagine the girl is just 26YO?
I think image in korean entertainment plays a huge role too. Most of the time, korean celebs put on an image that seems too perfect and infallible. And to live up to that and keep that image up, is way way too hard for them. That’s a huge difference between entertainment in the east and the west.
to lina: exactly. the image part. it’s like any ‘errors’ in the system are pushed away and ignored. depression, not having the right looks (they even publicly make fun of that on television, and those that are made fun of accept it, mostly comedians. but really, what kinda message does that send out?) even homosexuality still. some still don’t even acknowledge it’s there. it is there, but it doesn’t fit into the ideals. western media is more progressive in all those areas.
what really needs to change first is the korean entertainment industry. i know it’s also there in western media, but you can’t tell me there isn’t a greater sense of reality than in korean entertainment.
drop the emphasis that’s put on image. and i’m not just talking about looks.
I am in complete agreement, but I’m just wondering… can police really charge people for “spreading rumors”? Can they charge them before it actually has a extreme, detrimental effect?
I hope that guy gets what he deserves. But remember, it’s not just him. It’s the entire Korean media and all of the netizens that tormented Choi Jin Shil into committing suicide.
@Ketsuki and Asianromance
Well done!
what does beak mean? im pretty much confused..
Patricia said:
he’s a VERY FAMOUS MAN and he HAS A NAME. CHOI JIN YOUNG
—–
Now that you mentioned it, I think I have seen him before on some entertainment programs. Is he a singer?
^ to Jo.
At first I thought she was selfish but she wasn’t.
Sure she was weak, but is there something wrong with being a weak person?
Perhaps she was so ashamed that she didn’t want to face her children and family because of those rumours, even if they ended up being false. There’s a lot we dont know about her situation, so before labelling someone as weak and selfish what about yourself?
I don’t blame him for not forgiving the lady who started the rumors, as well as kept on sending messages to her about “being responsible” for the death.
I hope karma bites back at “Baek”.
More information could be found a allkpop.
condolence… CJS RIP….
baek must die. an eye for an eye.
that so rhymed.
rip
yo jo…from one jo to another… how can you go against me? and i see that you quoted me. where in my quote did i say “all korean celebrities”? where? don’t add words to my original statement. come on…you gotta at least try harder than that. i’m so disappointed in you. you sound like you’re 16.
also… if somebody were to say “celebrites are beautiful”. do they mean all? obviously not. if you have nothing to back up your argument with than to add words to my og statement… keep quiet little girl. peace.
“uh why are being prejudice and idiotic by claiming that all korean celebrities are stupid? Did they all commit suicide? I dont think so.”
haha…yo jo…another thing. i really LOVED how you even bothered to answer your own rhetorical question at the end. that is classic. thanks for telling me that. i didn’t know that some celebrities were still alive. haha. nevermind about keeping quiet… keep posting girl. too funny.
joemama: Way to put words into my mouth. I equated your blaming her for this tragedy to blaming the rape victim for having suffered at the hands of others. The only similarity I’m drawing is that both are victims and ultimately should receive our sympathy. No matter what your views are in terms of suicide itself, this woman suffered due to a multitude of problems - she didn’t kill herself just because she had rumours spread about her. I said those were just ONE of many. It’s not as if she heard about those rumours, got a phone call from Baek, and then decided to end her life all in one instance. It’s repeatedly mentioned she had suffered from depression for years. But I don’t want to argue with you because the whole purpose of your posts is to bait people.
I think we’re forgetting here that Baek didn’t JUST spread rumours online. She personally contacted Choi Jin-shil and condemned her based on untrue accusations - I’m pretty sure that’s harassment. But I also agree that celebrities need to stand up for themselves. If netizens commit a crime (ex. poisoning Yunho) they should be charged for it and punished. If the celebrities themselves allow it to be swept under the rug, these people have no sense of the consequences of their actions.
Also, instead of complaining and whining and BLAMING these celebrities for being ‘weak’, the problem itself should be addressed. How likely are these celebrities to seek help? Why do these celebrities feel that suicide is the only way out? Is it because of the way society sequesters them to the point where they CAN’T see a way out? This can also be applied to every day citizens as well. And also, what is the quality of mental health treatment in Korea?, etc etc. I just don’t see any point in playing the blame game at this point.
it hard for him to forgive that woman, the one you really love and close to died cause depress and sadness, it really hurt you to think about that, it really hard for him
sucki…doesn’t that go without saying? victims suffer at the hands of others? by the way, where are you from? we should get drinks sometimes.
^ -_- I’m trying to say Choi Jin-shil is a victim of depression, which isn’t something she magically conjured up for the hell of it. To say she has nobody to blame but herself is not conducive to reaching out to *help* these individuals, especially given her celebrity status. And yes, you can personally think she was selfish in leaving behind her family and friends, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that she needed help desperately and for some reason, felt she could not reach out to anyone.
If Baek commits suicide, it’s also an excuse for a public holiday! The picture of Choi Jin Shil’s brother was so touching, it almost made me cry. Baek has wronged and she won’t repent. She did this all to achieve face, in which is irony because she doesn’t HAVE a face. Look at her pictures and you’ll know why
Wait…her brother is the guy in WGM partnering with HyunJi??
But I don’t think it’s fully that Beak dude’s fault. It also has to do with how she feels about herself too.
RIP Choi Jin Sil…. this news was so big it already made it to the New York Daily News….i hope her friends and family are okay :[
baek should show his/her face in the public and nationally say sorry to the pblic for murder
People like this that Harass others and cause them to commit suicide should be sent to prison or jail.