An actress and social media influencer was reportedly murdered shortly after a live stream by a dedicated fan, who left her body in a suitcase in a mountainous area. Yoon Ji-ah, who was in her 20s and had a significant following on TikTok, was assaulted and strangled to death on September 11.
Yoon was filming in Yeongjong Island, South Korea, and the suspect, a man in his 50s named Choi, was identified as the alleged perpetrator. Choi had approached Yoon under false pretenses of being the CEO of an IT company, offering to boost her online presence.
Choi, known as ‘Black cat’ on video platforms, had reached a high level of support on the livestream platform where Yoon hosted her content, despite facing financial difficulties. Yoon reportedly wanted to end their partnership due to Choi’s controlling behavior and demanding schedule.
Before Yoon’s death, security footage captured Choi pleading with her not to sever ties with him. Yoon’s family claimed she was forcefully restrained from leaving a car on the day of her disappearance, with the vehicle’s door being shut forcibly.
Yoon’s body was later discovered in a field in Muju County, with autopsy results indicating death by asphyxiation due to neck compression. Choi was seen carrying a suitcase towards the mountain where the body was found, making multiple stops along the way.
Choi was apprehended 12 hours after the body was found. Initially denying the charges, he later confessed to the murder, according to local reports.