Choi Jin-sil (최진실)

2 Given Suspended Sentence in Choi Jin-sil Suicide

Source | 2009/06/17 | Permalink |

The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday handed suspended sentences to a present and a former employees at a securities firm for spreading groundless and malicious rumors believed to have led to the suicide of the actress Choi Jin-sil.

The two were given a 10-month jail sentence suspended for two years and 120 hours of community service for claiming on the Internet that Choi had some part in the suicide of actor Ahn Jae-hwan, who apparently killed himself under pressure of huge debts, since she was one of his creditors.

The court dismissed the defendants' argument that they were unaware that the rumor was groundless and had no malicious intent.

Choi committed suicide at her home on Oct. 2, 2008, right after she brought a complaint against the two.
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Women's Groups Up in Arms Over Ruling on Late Actress

Source | 2009/06/11 | Permalink |

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Women's groups are angry over the top court's ruling that ordered the late actress Choi Jin-sil to compensate a builder for failing to maintain "dignity" as a model representing its products.

They censured the Supreme Court for not realizing the suffering of domestic violence victims, which included Choi.

Korean Womenlink, the Korea Women's Hot Line, and the Korea Women's Association United issued a joint statement Wednesday lambasting the ruling.

On June 4, the court reversed a high court ruling that decided in favor of Choi in a compensation suit filed by Shinhan Engineering and Construction in 2004 against the actress, who was the model for its apartments.

The advertiser claims she did not keep her contractual obligation to "maintain dignity", because she disclosed to the public her bruised and swollen face which was caused by the violence of her then husband, former baseball player Cho Sung-min. They divorced soon afterward.

The top cou...| More

Star Actors Team Up in Shakespeare Play

Source | 2009/06/09 | Permalink |

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

Prominent stars will team up in performing in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Actress Kim Hyo-jin, actors Choi Jin-young, Lee Moon-sik, Hong Seok-cheon and Ahn Nae-sang who graduated from or are studying at Hanyang University will rally behind the directorship of Choi Hyung-in, professor and founder of the theater company Hanyang Repertoire.

"I am very happy to meet actors I once worked with a long time ago. There is no communication gap between us although it has been more than 10 years since we cooperated and they are mature. Also, new faces such as Kim Hyo-jin and Choi Jin-young are doing their best", the professor and director said in a press conference.

Lee, Hong, and Ahn, who appeared in the play 13 years ago, will take the same roles. "When I first confessed that I would come out to my professor, she warmly hugged me. I could live in her encouragement. Without Choi's supports, there are not many actors who go their ow...| More

Actress' Heirs to Compensate Advertiser for 'Disgrace'

Source | 2009/06/05 | Permalink |

A court has ruled that the heirs of the late actress Choi Jin-sil must compensate an advertiser since she failed to maintain her dignity as a model when pictures of her after a beating by her then-husband Cho Sung-min were publicized in media. A construction company sued Choi in 2004 for W3 billion (US$1=W1,250) for damages incurred and the modeling fee paid.

The Supreme Court on Thursday reversed a ruling that cleared Choi of responsibility and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court.

The company paid Choi W250 million in March 2004 for modeling for apartment buildings. The contract included a clause that if Choi disgraced the image of the company by damaging her social and moral image through her own fault, she would repay the firm twice the modeling fee. Five months later, pictures of her beaten and of the inside of her house in a chaotic state were released.

Because Choi died in October 2008 when the case was under Supreme Court review, her status passed to her eight-ye...| More

Stars' Blogs as Tool of Communication

Source | 2009/05/05 | Permalink |

Korean stars, seeking to protect their privacy, are turning to the online to speak their minds or clarify stances on certain issues.

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

As one of the most wired countries in the world, it is hard for anyone here to stay offline for long, and now even the busiest singers and actors manage to squeeze their time to communicate with fans and express themselves through the Web.

Many celebrities each have their personal blogs, mostly on the famous networking Web site Cyworld. More than 20 million Internet users have joined the site, and thanks to its easy-to-use features and popularity, it has become one of the easiest and effective ways for celebrities to openly express their thoughts.

It started with actors who wanted to show more of themselves as ordinary people, not as the fashionable stars they were presented as through the media.

Actors Lee Hye-young, Hwang Ci-ne and singers Park Jun-hee and Ock Joo-hyun's blogs were some of the most popular,...| More