SBS NEWS

News > Entertainment

Why Did a Son-in-Law They Never Met Murder His Mother-in-Law? 'Unanswered Questions' Investigates the Kim Sung-woo Case

Kang Sun-ae

Published : Nov 6, 2026 1:40 PM


Unanswered Questions (Photo=Getty Images Korea)SBS's "Unanswered Questions" delves into the true face of Kim Sung-woo, a killer who brutally murdered his mother-in-law and abducted his wife in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

Airing on November 7, "Unanswered Questions"—under the subtitle "A Vicious Reunion Scenario: Why Did Kim Sung-woo Murder His Mother-in-Law?"—closely tracks the tragic incident that sent shockwaves through a quiet residential neighborhood in Songpa-gu, Seoul, in the early morning hours of October 11.

In the early morning hours of that day, Kim Young-hoon (pseudonym) discovered his wife collapsed and bleeding in front of their home, only to receive the shocking news that an unidentified assailant had abducted his daughter, Min-ji (pseudonym), by car while she was returning home. The perpetrator drove recklessly across 200 kilometers, fleeing to a mountainous area in Yangyang, Gangwon Province. He was apprehended seven hours after the crime began, after Min-ji, who had been trapped in the vehicle for five hours, managed a narrow escape.

The perpetrator, whose personal details were publicly disclosed due to the gravity of the crime, turned out to be 26-year-old Kim Sung-woo—the victim's son-in-law and Min-ji's husband, with whom he had registered their marriage. However, it was revealed that the bereaved family had never met him even once.

Kim Sung-woo claims that he committed the act impulsively out of panic when his mother-in-law began screaming as he tried to speak with Min-ji. However, the production team was able to meet directly with an official from a private detective agency who stated they had received a request from Kim to locate Min-ji.

The truth behind the terms of his deal with the private detective agency—concealed behind his claims of an impulsive crime—and the secret scenario he had planned will be revealed on "Unanswered Questions," airing on Saturday, November 7, at 11:10 PM. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)