Choi Jin-sil committed suicide by hanging on 2 October 2008, at her home in Seoul.Her suicide was confirmed by police. She was survived by her two children, mother and younger brother.

Libel

On September 8, 2008, Ahn Jae-hwan , husband of popular comedian Jeong Sun-hee, was found dead in his car. Ahn committed suicide apparently due to distress over mounting debts.

Jeong and Choi had been close friends for a long time in South Korea's entertainment circles. When the news of Ahn's death hit the nation, Choi appeared deeply shaken at the funeral.

Shortly after the funeral rumors circulated on the Web that Choi, as a loan shark, had lent a large sum of money to Ahn. On September 22, 2008, Choi sought a police probe into the source of the rumors, calling them groundless. On September 28, 2008, Police arrested a securities company employee for spreading the rumors.

Choi came under greater stress amid rumors circulating on the Internet she was involved in the suicide of fellow actor Ahn Jae-hwan.

In response to Choi's death, the South Korean government tried to strengthen a legal push to regulate Internet postings by Netizens. Politicians have reacted by proposing legislation that would impose a more rigorous real name registration requirement on the Internet and more heightened punishment for libelous statements.

Press reaction

The news of her death was reported in major daily newspapers and broadcasts. Before long a great number of reporters rushed to Choi's house and started to cover the event on a large scale. On the other hand major portal web sites blocked online users from leaving replies for articles concerning Choi, for fear that some users might leave malicious comments.

"Almost 80 percent of South Korea's households have broadband access, fostering active online interactions. Most Web sites here have bulletin boards where users can post uncensored, anonymous comments, and nearly all young people run their own blogs, updating via cellphone. Such sites were a major avenue for rumors about the possible dangers of dropping a ban on American beef that fed enormous street protests and political upheaval earlier this year. Major Web portals have in recent years doubled the number of monitors to screen out online character assassination and respond more quickly to complaints of malicious rumors. But many victims still complained that vicious rumors spread so fast their reputations were ruined virtually overnight," The New York Times commented on her death on October 2, 2008.

"She was more than South Korea's Julia Roberts or Angelina Jolie. For nearly 20 years, Choi Jin Sil was the country's cinematic sweetheart and as close to being a "national" actress as possible. But since her body was found on Oct. 2, an apparent suicide, she has become a symbol of the difficulties women face in this deeply conservative yet technologically savvy society. Incessant online gossip appears to have been largely to blame for her death. But it's also clear that public life as a single, working, divorced mom — still a pariah status in South Korea — was one role she had a lot of trouble with," TIME commented on her death on October 6, 2008.

Theft of Urn

The surveillance cameras set up around Choi Jin Sil's burial site in the park in the Gapsan Park Cemetery in Yangpyeong.

On August 15, 2009, Choi Jin Sil's ashes were stolen from her burial site.The police hunt for a suspect in the case of Choi Jin-sil's stolen urn after securing surveillance camera images showing a man carrying out the theft. On August 25, 2009, the police arrested the criminal. Choi Jin Sil's ashes were found in his home.

A small memorial park for Choi Jin-sil has been built in a cemetery in Gyeonggi Province. Choi Jin Sil's ashes were placed in the new tomb in the park in the Gapsan Park Cemetery in Yangpyeong on September 28, 2009. Security devices have been installed to prevent the recurrence of another theft, with the tomb specially manufactured in China and more surveillance cameras placed around the tomb.

The Choi Jin Sil Foundation

Choi Jin Sil was the "big sister" who led the so-called "Choi Jin-sil Association". It was a friendly group of close celebrities that included comedians Lee Young-ja, Jeong Sun-hee, models Hong Jin-kyung, Lee So-ra and actresses Choi Hwa-jung, Uhm Jung-hwa . After Choi's death, they founded "The Choi Jin Sil Foundation" for charity.

Drama Synopsis

The Drama Synopsis "As Life Goes On"(사노라면) which Choi Jin-sil had written was found in her home after her death.

• Note: The whole section is referenced.

Film

TV drama

Film awards

• Grand Bell Awards
  • 1995 (33rd) - Best Actress forHow to Top My Wife
  • 1993 (31st) - Best Favorite Actor
  • 1991 (29th) - New Rising Actress forMy Love, My Bride

• Blue Dragon Film Awards
  • 1991 (12th), 1992 (13th), 1993 (14th), 1994 (15th), 1995 (16th), 1997 (18th), 1998 (19th) - Best Favorite Star
  • 1990 (11th) - New Rising Actress forPartisans of South Korea

• Baeksang Art Awards
  • 2006, Best Actress for Television part
  • 1991, 1995, 1997 - Best Favorite Actor

• Chunsa Film Art Awards
  • 1991, New Rising Actress

Broadcasting awards

• KBS Drama Awards
  • 2005, Best Actress Award, Netizen Award, Best Couple Award
  • 1998, Best TV Actress
• MBC Drama Awards
  • 1997, Best Acting Award
  • 2008, Achievement Award
• SBS Drama Awards
  • 1995, Star Award, Good Acting Award

Broadcasting nominations

• 2008 MBC Drama Awards
  • Top Excellence Award for Actress
  • Best Couple Award, Choi Jin-sil and Jung Jun-ho, for The Last Scandal of My Life
  • Best Drama Award, The Last Scandal of My Life