Influencer Choi Jun-hee is set to marry in May, and warmhearted stories about her late mother, the late Choi Jin-sil, looking after those around her are evoking warmth. The heartwarming anecdotes delivered in the gentle spring are making everyone smile.
On Oct. 2, 2008, the nation's first love, the late Choi Jin-sil, passed away. Eighteen years later, in 2026, her daughter Choi Jun-hee drew attention by announcing her marriage at the age of 23.
Choi Jun-hee will have her wedding on May 16 at a hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, marrying a non-celebrity 11 years her senior. The couple built trust and affection for each other over time and promised to spend their lives together. The groom-to-be does not work in a glamorous profession but is known for being more diligent and warm-hearted than anyone; he quietly stayed by Choi Jun-hee's side and became a strong support whenever she struggled with health issues and public attention.
Choi Jun-hee drew sympathy after it became known that both her mother and father died when she was young and that she suffered from the autoimmune disease lupus. After regaining her health, she began working as an influencer and actively communicated with the public. Due to steroid side effects her weight rose to 96kg, but through consistent management she succeeded in reducing it to 41kg and transformed her appearance through plastic surgery.
As Choi Jun-hee prepares for marriage, a warm story about the late Choi Jin-sil has been shared, creating a heartwarming atmosphere. The anecdote was relayed by Cho Young-goo, a longtime reporter, who appeared on the YouTube channel "YouTube Hajiyoung" and said that despite difficult circumstances she loyally agreed to be interviewed.
I now think a lot about entertainers who have passed away. Isn't it sad, isn't it,? Cho Young-goo began, mentioning an incident in which the late Choi Jin-sil almost was kidnapped after taking the elevator up to her home. Reporters such as Kim Tae-jin and Park Seul-gi, who are well-known in the field, were surprised to hear about the incident, and Cho Young-goo said, "When the incident became known and many reporters gathered the next day because there was a film shoot, Kim Hye-ja told everyone not to interview anyone and protected the late Choi Jin-sil."
Cho Young-goo said, "I had to do the interview so I wouldn't be criticized. So I sat alone waiting and asked whether the interview would happen, and the late Choi Jin-sil looked at me and gave me a brief interview. No one else gave one, but she gave one only to me. Even though we had met and filmed many times, she did me a favor out of loyalty in a situation where she couldn't have, and I was truly grateful," he added.
The late Choi Jin-sil's warm story, revealed for the first time in 18 years, made the spring of 2026 feel even warmer and more touching. It is especially moving that the story surfaced about a month before her daughter Choi Jun-hee's wedding.
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