Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Derrek]

My students are freaking out because she hung herself this morning in her dressing room. No note or information that we know of. She lived in either Jeongja or Sunae in the Royal Palace building (two newspapers gave different addresses).

I live in the Royal Palace Housvill across the street. Freaky. Swear I've seen her walking around before. My students say that lots of actors and actresses live in the Royal Palace. I didn't know that.

[Real Reality]

Lead Actress of 'The Scarlet Letter' Commits Suicide
A popular South Korean movie actress who played a gloomy mistress who committed suicide in the film "The Scarlet Letter" hung herself on Tuesday, local police said. Lee Eun-joo, 25, was found dead by her brother in the dressing room of her apartment in Seongnam, just a few kilometers south of Seoul, they said.
Yonhap News (February 22, 2005)
http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20050222/300100000020050222150439E5.html

EDITORIAL: Fatal waves of depression
These are all gloomy signs that a growing number of Koreans are suffering from the long recession. Even more depressing, suicides resulting from economic difficulties have risen to new highs since the financial crisis of 1997-98. The nation is already known for having the highest suicide rate among the 23 OECD members. It is perturbing that the suicide rate moves in parallel with our economic indicators. So does the divorce rate in Korea, which ranks the second highest in the world after the United States.
The Korea Herald (August 27, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/08/27/200408270011.asp

Suicides Hit Record High in 2003
By Bae Keun-min, Korea Times (September 22, 2004)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200409/kt2004092214480811860.htm

Suicides in Han River increasing, police say
by Bae No-pil, JoongAng Daily (May 23, 2004)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200405/23/200405232335541139900090409041.html

69.1 Percent of Poll Respondents Unsatisfied with Life
Those replying "We live without a hope" with regard to the country's recent politics, economy and social affairs accounted for 69.1 percent in a poll conducted by the Korea Gallop at the request of the Chosun Ilbo.
by Hong Yung-lim, Chosun Ilbo (August 8, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200408/200408080035.htm

[Derrek]

She slit her wrists and hung herself, it says.

[tzechuk]

May be they killed her because she refused to have sex with a mob boss and made it look like a suicide??

[dogbert]

You know, she was featured in the notorious "X Files", so it's possible that played a role in her decision.

[Real Reality]

Those replying "We live without a hope" with regard to the country's recent politics, economy and social affairs accounted for 69.1 percent in a poll conducted by the Korea Gallop at the request of the Chosun Ilbo. by Hong Yung-lim, Chosun Ilbo (August 8, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200408/200408080035.htm

EDITORIAL: Fatal waves of depression
Even more depressing, suicides resulting from economic difficulties have risen to new highs since the financial crisis of 1997-98. The nation is already known for having the highest suicide rate among the 23 OECD members. The Korea Herald (August 27, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/08/27/200408270011.asp

[dogbert]

Gee, you think she had money troubles? Dimwit.

[jaderedux]

[Real Reality]

Living today is more difficult and stressful than ever before, said a couple of therapists when questioned on the matter. We live in an era where the escalating divorce rate, alcoholism, anxiety and depression affect the psyche of every Korean in some way or the other. Just about every Korean suffers from soul-deadening mental, physical or emotional tiredness.

Professor Chey would like Koreans to "look inside" and explore their inner worlds. When she returned from the United States nine years ago, she noticed a lot of anger and stress in Seoul. "Koreans tend to think the problem is caused by someone else, that it does not lie within the Self," she said.
Do You Need Therapy? by Lizette Potgieter (March 18, 2004) Korea Times
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200403/kt2004031817153511680.htm

Money is the god of modern times by Chung Jae-suk (The writer is a deputy culture news editor of the JoongAng Ilbo.)JoongAng Daily (September 8, 2004)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200409/08/200409082157468709900090109012.html

[SuperHero]

[marlow]

That's sad. It would seem like she had everything going for her - good looks, money - but obviously she was hurting inside.

I imagine it's tough being a 25 year old actress in Korea, but she could have done anything, assuming she didn't blow her money. She could have left the business and retired to the country, or anything.

[dogbert]

I would not be at all surprised if it were not related to her appearance in the "X Files", which consisted of a number of rumors about her. Perhaps the shame was just too much.

[FUBAR]

[dogbert]

Stars React to Scandalous Report

Ad Agency's Report on Stars Incites Furor

[Real Reality]

Though they believe it to be suicide, the police are investigating the incident.

Born Nov. 16, 1980, Lee made her debut as an actress in the film "Rainbow Trout" in 1998. Lee's other films include "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors" (2000), "Bungee Jumping of Their Own" (2000) and "Hello! UFO" (2003). Lee, who graduated from Dankook University on Friday with a major in acting, was reported to have been in good spirits according to her professors and school friends, making her sudden suicide more shocking.
Korea Times
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200502/kt2005022216371710220.htm