Transgender Jang Chae-won, 26, who became a familiar face after appearing on a popular TV program, was found dead on Friday at her Seoul home in an apparent suicide, the police said.
Quoting her friends, the police said Jang had struggled after breaking up with her boyfriend recently. The police also suspect that the recent death of actress
Choi Jin-sil may have affected her decision to take her own life. Jang reportedly hanged herself, as did Choi, and was found by her friends in the bathroom.
The public and media had referred to Jang as the "next
Harisu", a well-known transgender singer and actress.
The police found out that prior to her death, Jang had told a friend that she understands how Choi felt.
Jang first made her media appearance as a man in female attire on a TV show in 2004, and appeared again in 2005 on the same show, this time following a gender change surgery. Though recognized due to her TV appearances, Jang had also suffered from negative comments from netizens for being a transgender.
