Real Estate Instructor Found Dead in Home with Wife

SBS's "I Want to Know That" revisited the sudden death of the late Choi Sung-jin, who was referred to as a 'top instructor' in the field of real estate law.

In the episode aired on February 2, "I Want to Know That" (hereinafter 'I Want to Know') investigated the tragedy that occurred in Pyeongtaek at his residence in the early hours of February 15, with the subtitle "Yangju Bottle and Bloodstains – The Murder Case of a Real Estate Instructor."

Around 3 a.m. that day, an urgent call was received by 112. Upon arriving at the scene due to the wife Yoon's statement that "my husband seems to be dead," paramedics and police discovered a man lying in the living room bleeding. He had severe injuries to his face and was transported to the hospital, but he passed away 11 hours later.

Once his identity was revealed, the shock deepened. He was Choi Sung-jin, a 'top instructor' who earned the respect of countless students in his real estate law lectures. It was said that 7 out of 10 students preparing for the certified real estate agent exam were his students, and he was known as a dedicated teacher who would accept questions until midnight.

"The defense? Or an attack?" … Inconsistent statements and circumstances

At the time, there were no signs of forced entry, and only Yoon was present in the house. Yoon admitted to the act, stating that a verbal argument arose due to her husband's infidelity, during which her husband threatened her with a weapon, leading her to swing a 1.75L bottle of liquor in self-defense. She claimed, "There was no intent to kill."

The liquor bottle, filled with homemade alcohol, was quite heavy. Yoon claimed she swung it while defending herself against her standing husband, but forensic experts suggested that the nature of the injuries indicated the victim may have been struck while lying down, which lent weight to the interpretation of intent to kill.

A recreation experiment conducted by the production team indicated that, contrary to Yoon's explanation, the weapon appeared to have been placed there after the assault, and it was likely the liquor bottle was swung after her husband had fallen. A neighboring resident also testified that they heard what sounded like a hammering noise, supporting the possibility of an attack on the fallen victim.

Moreover, Yoon claimed her husband had been drunk, but tests following his death revealed almost no alcohol content.

Economic Control and Repeated Demands for Divorce

Choi and Yoon met and married when they were teacher and student, respectively. At the time, Choi was marrying for the first time, while Yoon was in her second marriage and had two sons from her ex-husband.

However, Choi often made pessimistic remarks during his lectures, stating things like, "I am at the bottom of the family hierarchy" and "Only the dog greets me." According to a fellow instructor, "The top instructors earn millions, but Choi said he 'had to keep making money'."

Consequently, the production team conducted a forensic analysis of the victim's mobile phone with the family's consent. The restored conversations revealed multiple conflicts related to financial issues.

Choi had been sending more than half of his lecture fees to Yoon and her stepson each month. The economic control also lay in Yoon's hands.

Choi, who had undergone a major surgery recently, began to ask for financial independence, perhaps viewing his remaining life as a 'gift given to him.' He sent messages to his wife stating, "Honey, I feel so pitiful. I'm a money-making machine. Why do I have to keep making money? If I die like this, it’s over. I only work every day. I'm annoyed with myself. I can't have fun because I never play," but these messages were dismissed. He also left behind a message saying, "Just arrange 400 million won for the deposit. I’ll give you the rest. I want to live comfortably too."

Additionally, except for weekends, Choi had been commuting from a study room and seemed to have moved to an officetel for a better life, even starting to exercise and strive for independence.

However, just one week after dreaming of this change, he was struck and killed by a liquor bottle.

His colleagues remembered him as "the instructor who taught students most earnestly and sincerely." The broadcast concluded by expressing hope that a just verdict would be reached in the case and stated that they would continue to monitor the outcome of the trial.

Image source: sbs 'I Want to Know That'