The 'Eungam-dong Burial Case' that shocked residents was broadcast as a summer special horror episode on 'Kkokkomu' (short for 'The Story That Tails Each Other').
On the broadcast aired on the 31st, the SBS entertainment program 'Kkokkomu' featured musical actors Choi Jeong-won, Hong Ji-min, and Lee Hyun-woo as listeners, focusing on the theme 'The Woman in the Basement - Eungam-dong Horror Story'.
The episode began in 2002 in the basement of a multi-family house in Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. The building owner, Mr. Jang, was inspecting the empty basement with worker Mr. Kim to convert it into a studio apartment when they discovered a structure covered in cement in the storage area under the stairs.
As they attempted to remove the structure that was obstructing the bathroom renovation, a foul odor and a swarm of flies emerged when they used an electric drill, revealing a black object from within thick plastic. What was uncovered as the plastic tore was a corpse. Lee Hyun-woo exclaimed, "I would have fainted," and expressed his shock, saying, "It's grotesque."
According to Captain Kim Jeong-hyun of the Seoul Western Police Station, the body was presumed to be that of a woman, dressed in a thick winter coat. The body was desiccated, resembling a mummy, and was completely sealed in cement and sand, showing almost no signs of decay. Hong Ji-min and Lee Hyun-woo were unable to contain their horror, while Choi Jeong-won expressed her anger, saying, "This could be someone's mother or wife."
It was revealed that strange incidents had occurred to tenants in this basement over the past ten years. The first tenant, Mr. Jeong, committed suicide, and the second tenant, Mr. Park, died of cancer. Additionally, the fourth tenant, Mr. Choi, operated a sweater factory there, but four out of nine employees died. Furthermore, Mr. Choi suffered from nightmares and lost nearly 30 kg, but his health suddenly improved after leaving the basement. This led to rumors of the 'Eungam-dong Horror Story' circulating in the neighborhood, prompting some residents to move away.
Three days after the incident, the investigation took a turn when Park Hee-chan, head of the Seoul Police Agency's Scientific Investigation Center, successfully collected fingerprints from the corpse. The victim was identified as a 55-year-old woman who had been missing since May 1997. She had disappeared after telling her sister she was going to meet someone to collect money. The name 'Joo Sang-cheol' was written on the loan document, and Mr. Kim, the third tenant of the basement, had briefly rented the space to Joo Sang-cheol during that time.
Mr. Joo's residency had been canceled, and his whereabouts were unknown. The investigation team received a tip that he had become a shaman and was praying at a shrine on Gamak Mountain, leading to his arrest two weeks after the body was discovered. Mr. Joo confessed to the charges.
He stated that he killed her during an argument after failing to repay the 12 million won he borrowed. He then wrapped the body in a winter coat, placed it in a kimjang (Korean pickling) plastic bag, and hid it under the stairs, sealing it with cement and sand stolen from a church construction site.
Lee Hyun-woo remarked, "It's horrifying just to imagine," while Hong Ji-min could not hide her anger at Mr. Joo's actions, saying, "For the family, it must have been unbearable, with blood boiling."
Contrary to his statement, the autopsy results from the National Forensic Service were even more shocking. It was suggested that the victim may not have been completely dead when covered in cement and could have suffocated due to a lack of oxygen. Hong Ji-min's eyes welled up as she said, "This is too cruel."
The prosecution charged Mr. Joo with murder for the purpose of evading debt and sought a life sentence. However, Mr. Joo claimed it was an impulsive act committed in anger and argued for a charge of manslaughter. The court determined that there was intent to kill based on the use of a metal rod and the circumstances of concealing the body, sentencing him to 15 years in prison. Mr. Joo appealed, claiming the sentence was too harsh, but it was dismissed, and he ultimately gave up on further appeals, resulting in the confirmation of his sentence.
As a result, various reactions emerged on social media and community sites, including, "The horror special is really scary. It gives me chills," "I can relate to the reactions on 'Kkokkomu' today. I'm getting too absorbed," "Is it really because of debt that someone would kill? It's horrifying," and "Starting with a horror story and ending with a crime story. The real story is quite a tale. It's fascinating."
Meanwhile, 'Kkokkomu' is a program where three 'storytellers' share their insights with their 'story friends' in the most ordinary spaces, airing every Thursday at 10:20 PM.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
