Emaciated director’s death prompts dialogue in South Korea1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe recent starvation death of an aspiring South Korean filmmaker is prompting a vigorous public dialogue here over compensation for artists in the nation’s burgeoning movie industry.
Authorities have not connected the death of director Choi Ko-eun, 32, whose emaciated corpse was found last month in her tiny flat, with her profession.
Shortly before her body was discovered, she had posted a note on her neighbor’s door. “It’s shameful, but I haven’t eaten anything for days. Please knock on my door if you have some leftover cooked rice and kimchi to spare,” the note read.
Many on social networking sites are now asking how a talented artist could die of starvation in such an advanced nation. “Choi, who is just over 30, died lonely in a country where we believe everyone can at least eat,” movie critic Shim Yeong-seob tweeted.
