Did Choi Jin-sil Really Leave a 30 Billion Won Inheritance?... Mother Says "Only 1.5 Billion in Accounts, Two Properties Inherited"

Choi Jin-sil's Mother Refutes the "30 Billion Won Inheritance" Rumor

The late Choi Jin-sil’s daughter Choi Junhee (left) and son Choi Hwanhee. Screenshot from Choi Junhee’s Instagram.

Regarding the controversy surrounding the inheritance of the late Choi Jin-sil, her mother stated, "It is not true that the inheritance is worth hundreds of billions of won."

On March 5, a video addressing the controversy over Choi Jin-sil's inheritance was released through the YouTube channel "Entertainment President Lee Jinho." In the video, YouTuber Lee Jinho said, "Recently, with news of Choi Jin-sil's daughter Choi Junhee's marriage, the inheritance issue has once again come into the spotlight."

The Spread of the "30 Billion Won Inheritance" Rumor... What Is the Truth?

Previously, in July 2023, Choi Junhee claimed that her grandmother had embezzled her money, leading to various speculations about their relationship. Rumors such as "Choi Jin-sil's 30 billion won inheritance" also spread through online communities.

Regarding this, Lee Jinho explained, "Choi Jin-sil spent most of her liquid assets during about three years of inactivity before and after her divorce from the late Cho Sung-min in 2004." He added, "After returning to television with the drama 'Life in Pink,' she began earning income again, but following her death in 2008, lawsuits over advertising penalties and tax issues rapidly depleted the remaining assets."

The late Jinsil Choi. Photo by Yonhap News

Only the Jamwon-dong House and Officetel Remained... Each Child Inherited Half

According to Choi Jin-sil's mother, Jung Oksook, the real estate left behind by Choi Jin-sil consisted of a house in Jamwon-dong and one officetel. These two properties were inherited equally by her son Choi Hwanhee and daughter Choi Junhee, each receiving a 50% share, and Jung, the grandmother, had no stake and therefore could not dispose of them at her discretion.

Lee Jinho reported, "For the 19 years since her passing in 2008, these properties have not been sold. Ms. Jung said that she wanted to pass down her daughter's inheritance as it was to her grandchildren." Currently, both properties are being operated as rental properties, with the monthly rental income reportedly exceeding 15 million won. This income is also said to be split equally between the two children.

Jung also commented on the real estate under Cho Sung-min's name. She explained that the building left behind after his death was valued at around 2 billion won, but due to the burden of taxes and management fees, selling it became unavoidable. She stated, "After deducting various taxes and expenses from the proceeds of the sale, the remaining amount was distributed to each of the two children."

"About 1.5 Billion Won in Cash at Time of Death... Most Spent on Lawsuits and Taxes"

Jung also spoke candidly about the circumstances at the time of Choi Jin-sil's passing. She said, "After my daughter passed away, I opened her safe and found several bankbooks, which totaled about 1.5 billion won. However, the assets were frozen immediately after her death, and then quickly dwindled due to lawsuits over breach of contract, taxes, and living expenses."

Jung said, "After handling legal fees, taxes, and penalty payments, almost no money was left. I was in utter despair," adding, "Amidst losing my daughter, I endured with the thought that I had to raise my grandchildren." She further stated, "People say Choi Jin-sil's inheritance was 20 billion, 50 billion won, but I have no idea where that amount comes from. I have never seen such money." She continued, "If I die like this, who will be left to set the record straight? At the very least, I want to correct the parts that are not true."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.