Model Kim Jong-seok passed away suddenly, and as rumors surrounding his death spread, the bereaved family took direct action.
Kim Jong-seok died on the 4th. He was 29 years old, and the exact cause of death has not been disclosed.
The obituary of the deceased was announced through tributes from friends. A friend of Kim Jong-seok, referred to as A, posted on the 5th on his account, "My bro... When I heard that you left us yesterday, my heart shattered into pieces. I still can't believe that I won't be able to see your smiling face anymore in the days to come. Although you are no longer with us, you were a great gift to this world, and I will cherish you in my heart forever. Kim Jong-seok, I will always miss you, and I will always love you."
Another friend, referred to as B, also posted a photo of a condolence wreath, saying, "I still can't believe it... I hope you are at peace there without pain," conveying his condolences. As this post spread, rumors of Kim Jong-seok's death proliferated, and as the vacant seat of the deceased was confirmed, the rumors turned out to be a fact rather than mere 'speculation.'
Fans were in shock at the sudden bad news. This is because Kim Jong-seok had communicated with fans by posting just three days prior. As a result, his social account was flooded with comments mourning the deceased.
However, alongside the news of Kim Jong-seok's death, speculative writings related to his personal life also attracted attention. Coincidentally, on the same day, an incident occurred where a man in his 20s in an officetel in Mangwol-dong, Hanam, created a disturbance with his girlfriend and was reported to the police, leading to his suicide from the rooftop after being separated by the police.
Internet users speculated that the man in his 20s was Kim Jong-seok, leaving malicious comments aimed at the deceased during this process. Consequently, the deceased's SNS account was suddenly switched to private on the morning of the 6th. It appears that the bereaved family took action as public interest surged due to the rumors.
Furthermore, Kim Jong-seok's biological sister posted a lengthy message on her account, stating, "There are false claims circulating about Jong-seok in the community, and the family is suffering greatly. The reason we haven't responded until now is that I wanted Jong-seok to go to a better place and didn't want to refute it, nor did I anticipate these ridiculous claims would spread. It's not true."
She said, "I will soon organize and reveal the police recording transcripts along with my friend's recordings, and the last words the other person told me." She added, "Please, for the sake of the deceased, do not defame any further, and kindly delete the posts you have made. Please let the deceased go peacefully. Maliciously posted articles will be reported to the Cyber Investigation Team."
In particular, Kim Jong-seok's biological sister additionally posted a message apparently sent to the person involved in the rumors. She expressed to the recipient, "I saw the comment your sister posted. The reason I stayed silent was because I wanted to send Jong-seok to a good place and didn't want to refute anything. I received this screenshot from a friend while we were sending Jong-seok off for the last time. I was shocked and appalled to see that while the rumors were spreading, my sister's comment, which should have clarified it was not true, was written like that. It was the last day to send Jong-seok, and did you have to leave a comment like this?"
She continued, "Didn't you say that you were heartbroken because there were parts that weren't true? I think I need to post the police statement and my friend's words to correct this. Currently, my brother is coming out as a person who struck a woman with a soju bottle, XXX. You know better than anyone that Jong-seok was genuine and did well, right? I hope you will make a correction, as what your sister left could become a problem. Please, I just want to send Jong-seok off in peace. I'm begging you."
Currently, the post has been deleted. The deceased's biological sister said, "I just sent Jong-seok off and was not in my right mind, so I deleted the post without realizing it," and she also posted an article containing the earlier post she made.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong-seok was a model active in the beauty and fashion industry, well-known as the model for the men's beauty brand Dashu. He gained popularity through YouTube Shorts videos posted by Dashu and drew attention by appearing on tvN's dating reality show 'Skip' in 2022. The deceased's funeral was confirmed to have been held at Maru Park in Hanam. The funeral took place at 8 a.m. on the 6th, with the burial site at Chuncheon Resting Place - Yanggu Memorial Park.
[Photo] SNS
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