Famous for her role in the ‘Boys Over Flowers‘ in 2009, the death of Jang Ja-yeon is still a mystery now. Let’s find out more about what made Jang Ja-yeon end her life, and new facts that were discovered after the case was reopened!
Jang Ja-yeon’s Suicide Case
On 7 March 2009, Jang Ja-yeon was found hanged at her home in the Bundang district of Seongnam, Gyeonggi province. During a phone call at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon, Jang Ja-yeon had complained to her sister about the “overwhelming stress” she was under, saying that she “wanted to die“. Having later been unable to reach her on the phone, Jang’s sister returned to their shared home at 7:42 p.m., to find her body hanging from the stairway banister. A police investigation concluded that her death was a suicide and found no evidence of foul play. Jang Ja-yeon is believed to have killed herself at around 4:30 pm. According to widespread South Korean entertainment news reports, it was believed that Jang Ja-yeon claimed that her agent, Kim Sung-hoon, had regularly beaten her and forced her to sleep with a string of VIPs, including directors, media executives, and CEOs. Kim Sung-hoon, who was in Japan, denied the accusations. It was unconfirmed that Jang Ja-yeon wrote a 7-page note listing at least 31 names of media executives, CEOs, and directors that she claimed she was forced into having sex with. South Korean police have suppressed the full list. Later on, it was also reported that the 7-page note might not be dictated by Jang Ja-yeon herself. However, a partial list of the 31 people involved was widely spread on the internet, including Bang Sang-hoon, CEO of The Chosun Ilbo daily; Vice-President of Sports Chosun, Bang Myung-hoon; JoongAng Ilbo (“Central Journal“)’s Director of Advertising, Lee Jae-young; Chairman of Kolon, Lee Woong-ryeol; Chairman of Lotte, Shin Kyuk-ho; former KBS PD, CEO of Olive 9, Go Dae-hwa; producer of KBS’s Geumji Ok Yeob, Jun Chang-geun; producer for KBS, MBC, SBS, Jung Seho; producer for KBS’s Boys Over Flowers, Jun Gi-sang; and Broadcasting/Music producer of Playful Kiss, Boys Over Flowers, Perfect Couple, and Goong, Song Byung-joon. The Chosun Ilbo later issued a statement saying that it was not their current CEO, Bang Sang-hoon, but their former CEO, whose name has not been revealed. Approximately 250,000 fans visited Jang Ja-yeon’s website on the day of her death to express their condolences, with a further 700,000 visiting the site the following day, while the entire cast of Boys Over Flowers paid their last respects at the mourning hall set up at the Seoul National University Hospital in Bundang. Jang Ja-yeon’s funeral was held there on 9 March 2009, and was attended by family, friends, and fellow actors, including Boys Over Flowers lead, Ku Hye-sun. Her cremated remains were buried next to her parents in Jeongeup, North Jeolla province.
Jang Ja-yeon’s Case Reopened
In 2019, President Moon Jae-in instigated a thorough re-investigation into Jang Ja-yeon’s case, as well as a proper investigation into the Burning Sun scandal and the sex scandal of former high-ranking Ministry of Justice official, Kim Hak-eui. Due to the controversy of Jang Ja-yeon’s case and the rumors since Jang Ja-yeon’s death, none of the accusations from the media could be used as evidence to press charges on any figures involved.
New Facts About Her Case
After President Moon Jae-in issued a thorough re-investigation into the Jang Ja-yeon’s case, Dispatch revealed several new facts about Jang Ja-yeon’s death.
The last document of the late Jang Ja Yeon
Dispatch released a photo of the deceased a few days before she died
Lee Mi Sook’s testimony is considered fake
Song Sun Mi’s name was dragged along
