February 24, 2005 ㅡ The news of Korean actress Lee Eun-joo's suicide shocked her overseas fans as well as domestic ones. Japanese tabloids and other major newspapers reported her death as breaking news.
Sina.com, a major Chinese portal, also ran a story expressing sorrow over her passing.
Her story made top global news in Taiwan, as the media reported the content of the notes she left behind including one written in blood: "Mom, I am sorry, and I love you".
In other scattered papers, she wrote that she wanted to turn back time so she can live normally. Without clearly saying what exactly troubled her, she mentioned financial problems, the pressures of doing something that she did not want to do and a feeling of failure.
Ms. Lee's family said she had repeatedly said she "felt humiliated" when shooting her last film, "Scarlet Letter", which was released last October.
It started rumors her death might be connected with the movies she filmed, as the characters she played often met tragic deaths. "We know that Ms. Lee was a very sincere person", said Kwak Shin-ae, director of LJ Film that produced "The Scarlet Letter".
Police investigating the death of Ms. Lee discounted that she was murdered and stood by their initial conclusion she hanged herself with a necktie.
"It is clear that it was a suicide", said a Bundang police official in Gyeonggi province, adding his office will not review telephone records or interview her friends.
The 25-year-old star of the film "Taegukgi" left handwritten notes indicating she was troubled, police said. There were no signs of forced entry into her room where she was found dead by her brother Tuesday, police said.
Doctors said she had been suffering from severe depression and insomnia, according to police.
Ms. Lee's family said did not dispute the cause of death and said her funeral service will be held today.
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