The family of model Kim Jong-seok, who passed away on the 4th, has clarified the facts surrounding his death.
In the early hours of the 9th, Kim Jong-seok's older sister took to social media to correct misinformation in articles and community posts, stating, "The reports that 'he drunkenly stormed his girlfriend's house and jumped from a building when the police arrived after causing a disturbance with a soju bottle' are not true."
She explained, "At the time, Jong-seok and his girlfriend were having separate drinks with their friends (Jong-seok with a hometown friend, and his girlfriend with her sister, her sister's boyfriend, and another male friend). Concerned after being unable to reach his girlfriend, Jong-seok and his friend went to her place. The girlfriend, her sister, and the sister's boyfriend were asleep, while Jong-seok, his friend, and another awake male friend were chatting and joking around. When the girlfriend woke up, there was a simple argument between the lovers, not a one-sided assault or disturbance as reported."
"During the attempt to calm the argument, when it seemed to escalate due to others getting involved, Jong-seok's friend broke a soju bottle to stop the fight, which led to the police being called," she continued, clarifying that the reports of fleeing or avoiding the police were also untrue, and shared the conversation that took place.
Regarding the circumstances that led to Kim Jong-seok's death, the family shared, "Jong-seok was going through a tough time financially and emotionally due to being defrauded by an acquaintance recently. He lost his entire fortune and was struggling with debt incurred from the fraud." They added, "It seems the combination of that day's events and the deep exhaustion and despair he was experiencing led to his tragic decision."
Finally, his sister appealed, "We have reported malicious comments and plan to immediately report any future false rumors or slanderous comments. Please stop the disrespect and criticism towards the deceased."
Kim Jong-seok passed away at the age of 29 on the 4th.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)