Choi Jin Shil's Ashes Stolen (UPDATED)

Choi Jin Shil was a loveable actress/model throughout 90s and into the 2000s. She was considered as one of the best actresses in South Korea, nicknamed “The Nation’s Actress,” up until she passed away at the tender age of 39. Choi Jin Shil, known for her great portraying emotions in her acting career, committed suicide in October of 2008. Before her sudden death, rumors circulated in the Korean press concerning Choi and her alleged relations with actor Ahn Jae-Hwan,
who committed suicide in early September 2008. Ahn killed himself after
incurring a large sum of debt following trouble with his business
projects, sending a shock wave through Korea’s entertainment circles. Shortly after the funeral, a rumor surfaced, claiming that Choi lent
money to the late Ahn. Choi flatly out denied this and police subsequently
arrested a suspect who had allegedly started the rumor. But that didn’t stop Choi, who was already severely depressed due to the domestic violence she had received from her ex-husband, to ride into an even deeper depression

On October 1, the night before her death, Choi had a drink with her
manager, went home and locked herself in a bathroom, asking her mother
to go to sleep. She was found next morning by her mother with pressure
bandages around her neck tied to a shower stall. No suicide note was found, but Choi sent her makeup assistant cell phone text messages twice
Wednesday night asking her to “take care of (my) children no matter
what happens” and telling her that “I’m sorry,” according to reports.

Today, August 15th, Choi Jin Shil‘s ashes were stolen from her burial site, yet, that’s not all the cruel vandalist did. The culprit also vandalzied Choi‘s tombstone by smashing the back of it. Police are currently under investigations, however they believe it
maybe difficult to capture the culprit, as the CCTV camera’s were not
operational.

After feeling unfair about her daughter’s suicide, and now even her
daughter’s ashes are being stolen away from her grave, late Choi
Jin Shil’s mother’s desperate pleads to the ashes thief, “Please return my daughter’s ashes,” she cried towards the police at the YangPyeong Police station. She was accompanied by her daughter’s friend gagwoman Lee YeongJa, and
she said, “I don’t know who would do such a thing, but please just
return her ashes”. A reporter also asked, “Is there, by any chance, any stalkers lately?”.
She replied, “I don’t know about that. I won’t ask anything, just
please return my daugther’s ashes.”

The police provided, “We think that the criminal may be a(n)
extreme fan or fortune-teller who is mentally unstable. And at Choi
Jin Shil’s grave, the grave is said to have been struck by a strong
metal object, of about 65mm long, for 11 to 15 times, before opening a
hole in it and retrieving the ashes.”

It was also said that the
CCTV (cameras) at the grave site has not been working since the 12th of August and hence
it did not provide any help for investigating this case. A
staff at the park provided, “Recently, we also have many visitors
coming in to pay respects to the late Choi Jin Shil. But the criminal
may have came in later towards the night, and that we are unsure about.”

Hopefully soon she can R.I.P. again~..

(UPDATE) : Choi‘s mother was on the verge of passing out several times since she
learned of the news of the disappearance of the ashes on August 15. On August 16
she attended church to pray. A member from Choi‘s agency has said, “Like the actress’s mother said on August 15, the most important thing
at this point is the safe return of the ashes. The family is worried
that even the jar containing the ashes could be damaged.” Several of Choi‘s close friends, including comedian Lee Young-ja, said
they had seen the actress in their dreams a few days before her ashes
were stolen. A person from Choi‘s agency said he visited Choi‘s grave
two days before the incident because Choi had appeared in his dream and
reproached him for visiting her so seldom.