SBS 'Story of the Day When You Bite Your Tail' (hereafter 'Kkokkomu') aired a summer special horror episode about the 'Eungam-dong burial case,' which shocked the residents. The truth of the incident, which had circulated as a ghost story for five years, was revealed, causing astonishment.
In the 186th episode of 'Kkokkomu' aired on the 31st of last month, musical actors Choi Jung-won, Hong Ji-min, and Lee Hyun-woo performed as listeners under the theme 'The Woman in the Basement – Eungam-dong Ghost Story.'
The broadcast that day began in 2002 in a multi-family house basement in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Building owner Mr. Jang discovered a structure covered with cement in a storage area under the stairs while inspecting the interior with a worker, Mr. Kim, to convert the vacant basement into a studio apartment. When trying to remove the structure that obstructed the bathroom construction, a foul smell filled the air, and a swarm of flies appeared as he applied the electric drill. From within the thick plastic, a black object emerged. What was revealed as the plastic tore was a corpse. Lee Hyun-woo exclaimed, "I would have fainted," and said, "It's grotesque."
According to team leader Kim Jeong-hyun from the Seoul Western Police Station, the body was presumed to be female and was found wearing a thick winter coat. Its form was nearly mummified. In a state with almost no decay, the corpse had been completely sealed with cement and sand. Hong Ji-min and Lee Hyun-woo could not contain their shock and said, "It's too horrifying," while Choi Jung-won expressed her anger, saying, "This could have been someone's mother or wife."
In the past 10 years, strange occurrences happened to the tenants of this basement. The first tenant, Mr. Jeong, committed suicide, and the second tenant, Mr. Park, died of cancer. Furthermore, the fourth tenant, Mr. Choi, operated a sweater factory there, but 4 out of 9 employees died. In addition, Mr. Choi suffered from nightmares and lost nearly 30 kg of weight; however, he suddenly regained his health after leaving the basement. This led to rumors known as the 'Eungam-dong Ghost Story' circulating in the neighborhood, prompting some residents to move out.
Three days after the incident, the investigation took a turn when Park Hee-chan, head of the Science Investigation Center at the Seoul Police Agency, successfully collected fingerprints from the body. The victim was a 55-year-old woman who had been missing since May 1997. She had told her younger brother, "I'm going to meet someone to receive money," before disappearing. The loan document was signed with the name 'Joo Sang-chul,' who was the third tenant of the basement and had briefly lent the space during that time.
Mr. Joo had his residency registration canceled and was missing. The investigation team received a tip that he had become a shaman praying at a shrine on Gamaksan Mountain and apprehended him two weeks after the body was discovered. Mr. Joo readily admitted to the charges. He stated that after failing to repay a loan of 12 million won, he killed her during an argument with an iron rod nearby. Subsequently, he wrapped the body in a winter coat, placed it in a kimjang plastic bag, and hid it under the stairs, sealing it with cement and sand stolen from a church construction site.
Lee Hyun-woo remarked, "It's horrifying just to imagine," while Hong Ji-min expressed that "for the families, it would have been unbearable, and their blood must have run cold" as she could not hide her anger at Mr. Joo's crime.
Contrary to his statement, the autopsy results from the National Forensic Service were even more shocking. It was suggested that the victim may have suffocated under the cement due to a lack of oxygen while still alive. Hong Ji-min wiped her eyes and said, "This is too brutal."
The prosecution indicted Mr. Joo for robbery-murder aimed at evading debt and sought life imprisonment. However, Mr. Joo claimed it was an impulsive act done in anger, presenting a case for manslaughter. The court found there was intent to kill based on the use of the iron rod and circumstances of concealing the body, sentencing him to 15 years in prison. Mr. Joo appealed, claiming the sentence was too harsh, but it was dismissed, and he ultimately gave up on appealing to the Supreme Court, solidifying his sentence.
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[Photo] SBS
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