South Korea has been shaken by the tragic death of popular influencer and actress Yoon Ji-ah, whose body was discovered inside a suitcase just hours after finishing a livestream.
The shocking incident has sparked outrage and grief across the country, as new details continue to emerge about her final moments and the man accused of taking her life.
According to reports from Mail Online, Ji-ah, who was in her 20s, was brutally assaulted and strangled to death on September 11.
Her body was later found abandoned in the mountainous region of Muju, North Jeolla Province.
Investigators revealed that she likely died within 30 minutes after ending her final livestream.
Police say Ji-ah had been filming content on Yeongjong Island in Incheon, nearly three hours away from where her body was discovered.
This raised concerns that she may have encountered her killer almost immediately after signing off from her online broadcast.
The main suspect, identified only by the surname Choi, is a man in his 50s who claimed to be the CEO of a South Korean IT company.
Authorities believe Choi approached the influencer under the guise of a business proposal, promising to help boost her follower count and online reach.
Media outlet Soap Central reported that Choi was well known across livestream platforms and had earned the status of a “big-spending VIP” under the nickname Black Cat.
These platforms reportedly use ranking systems based on how much fans spend to support creators.
According to The News, Choi had reached level 56, which required spending at least £53,000.
Investigators suspect that his heavy financial involvement and mounting personal debts may have played a role in the crime.
In the days before Ji-ah’s death, witnesses reported seeing Choi behaving erratically.
CCTV footage captured him kneeling and begging before the influencer, allegedly pleading with her to reconsider ending their business relationship.
Local reports claim that Ji-ah had planned to cut ties with him just before her death.
Witnesses later saw Choi dragging a large suitcase from his home and stopping at several locations before allegedly abandoning it in the mountains of Muju.
Police arrested him 12 hours after Ji-ah’s body was found.
Though he initially denied involvement, he later confessed to the killing, according to Korean media.
“The detective said at 3:27 p.m., the CCTV showed her about to get out of the car, but she was pulled back inside by force.
The door then closed,” her devastated mother told reporters.
An autopsy confirmed that Yoon Ji-ah’s cause of death was asphyxiation due to neck compression.
Meanwhile, the case has reignited discussions in South Korea about influencer safety and the risks of fan obsession in the digital age.
Many social media users have called for stricter regulations to protect online creators from potential stalkers and exploitative fans.
