In a shocking twist in the death of South Korean model and reality TV star, Kim Jong-Suk, his sister has now confirmed that he did die by suicide. She also detailed the series of events that took place on the night Jong-Suk jumped to his death, and claimed that he was "struggling financially and emotionally" after losing all his money in a property scam.
Jong-Suk's sister put out an official statement on the model's Instagram handle, and she began with denying the reports that he had created a ruckus at his girlfriend place before his death. "I want to correct the false information currently circulating in articles and on online communities.
The claim that “he barged into his girlfriend’s house drunk, caused a disturbance with a soju bottle, and jumped when the police arrived” is not true. At the time, Jongseok and his girlfriend were drinking separately with their own acquaintances (Jong-Suk was with a hometown friend; the girlfriend was with her sister, the sister's boyfriend, and another male acquaintance). When Jong-Suk couldn’t reach his girlfriend, he became worried and went to her house with his friend.
The girlfriend, her sister, and the sister’s boyfriend were asleep, and Jongseok and his friend talked and joked with the one male acquaintance who was awake," she stated.
She went on to say, "Later, the girlfriend woke up. There was no unilateral assault or rampage from Jongseok, but rather a simple argument between the couple. As the argument escalated and others began to get involved, Jongseok’s friend broke a soju bottle in an attempt to stop the fight. This act led someone to call the police. The reports that Jong-Suk ran away or avoided the police are also false."
She also stated that she has proof to support her claims, including messages and recordings.
She further continued, "After they were separated, Jong-Suk’s friend went with the police to give a statement, and it appears Jongseok, after resolving the matter with the police, went to heaven immediately after that."
Opening up on Jong-Suk's financial struggles, his sister stated, "Also, Jong-Suk had been struggling financially and emotionally due to an investment scam by someone he trusted. He not only lost all his money but was also left with debts caused by the fraud, which made day-to-day life very difficult."
She further mentioned, "He was exhausted from it all and had many thoughts weighing on him. We believe that what happened that night, the sense of betrayal from those he trusted, and the overall emotional exhaustion led him to feel emptiness and make that choice. It seems he just let everything go."
"His family, friends, and those who knew the real Jongseok are feeling deeply hurt and unjustly treated. We are all in pain. With this message, I sincerely ask you to stop spreading false articles and malicious comments. Please stop the insults and slander toward the deceased," she concluded.
Jong-Suk began as a model in 2014, and he was the face of some of the biggest brands in the men's beauty industry. In 2022, he participated in the reality show, Skip Dating.
