Choi Jin-Sil would have turned 40 in December. She reached the peak of her career in the 1990s and appeared in about twenty films, among which Lee Myung-se's popular romantic comedy, My Love, My Bride (1990).

Her marriage with baseball player Cho Sung-min was a much less fortunate affair. The actress got divorced in 2004 and obtained custody of her two children.
 

Malicious rumors had been circulating on the web recently, questioning the way she was raising her children, as well as a considerable loan she had granted to another actor and friend, Ahn Jae-hwan, who was also found dead a few weeks ago. Ahn was apparently deep in debt.

Last Thursday, tv channels changed their programs to broadcast the news. A dozen high-profile personalities killed themselves in the past few months. The Republic of Korea has become the country with the highest suicide rate in the world since last year.