On March 5, a video titled “Shocking Exclusive! ‘My grandmother took my money’ – The Truth Behind Choi Jin-sil’s 30 Billion Won Inheritance (Part 1)” was uploaded to the YouTube channel “Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho.” In the video, entertainment reporter Lee Jin-ho discussed the inheritance issue that has resurfaced following recent family developments.
Lee Jin-ho explained that the topic has once again drawn attention after Choi Jin-sil’s daughter, Choi Jun-hee, recently announced her upcoming marriage. He noted that the inheritance dispute has been a point of controversy for several years.
In July 2023, Choi Jun-hee publicly stated that the conflict began when her grandmother allegedly touched her share of the inheritance while she was still a minor. At the time, she said the issue was not simply about money but about trust being broken due to what she described as embezzlement. Since then, speculation about Choi Jin-sil’s assets has spread online, with rumors claiming her estate ranged anywhere from 20 billion to 70 billion won.
To clarify the situation, Lee Jin-ho conducted an interview with Choi Jin-sil’s mother, Jung Ok-sook. Jung revealed that she first learned about her granddaughter Choi Jun-hee’s upcoming wedding through YouTube. She shared that hearing the news made her think of her late daughter and brought her to tears, adding that she feels extremely cautious when speaking about her grandchildren.
Regarding the inheritance, Jung expressed her frustration over the rumors. According to her explanation relayed by Lee Jin-ho, Choi Jin-sil had very little cash assets remaining at the time of her passing. Around the time of her divorce from baseball player Cho Sung-min in 2004, she had been unable to work for about three years, which significantly reduced her savings. She later made a successful comeback through the drama “My Rosy Life,” which allowed her to earn income again.
However, after Choi Jin-sil’s death in 2008, much of the remaining cash quickly diminished due to advertising penalty fees, legal costs, and comprehensive income taxes. As a result, the primary assets she left behind were two properties: a house in Jamwon-dong and an officetel. These properties were inherited equally by her son Choi Hwan-hee and daughter Choi Jun-hee, each holding a 50 percent share.
Jung Ok-sook emphasized that she herself holds no ownership stake in the properties and does not have the authority to sell them. The properties are currently rented out, generating a monthly rental income of approximately 15 million won, which goes directly to the two grandchildren now that they are adults. She also noted that the properties have not been sold in the 19 years since Choi Jin-sil’s passing.
Lee Jin-ho stated that Jung’s wish has always been to preserve the assets left by her daughter and pass them on intact to her grandchildren.
Jung also revealed that she faced financial difficulties after Choi Jin-sil’s death, largely due to the high costs of raising and educating her grandchildren. Despite the hardships, she said she never sold any of the real estate left by her daughter.
In addition, the two grandchildren inherited land from their father, Cho Sung-min. According to Lee Jin-ho, the property was worth around 2 billion won. However, it was eventually sold, and due to taxes and management costs, the proceeds did not go to Jung. She explained that the rental income from the property had gone to Cho Sung-min’s parents, while the taxes including land tax, property tax, and rental-related taxes were paid under the children’s names.
Jung further claimed that after selling the property, significant expenses such as taxes, real estate costs, deposits, and financial support for the paternal grandparents were paid. After all expenses were settled, about 1 billion won remained and was given to Choi Hwan-hee and Choi Jun-hee.
Lee Jin-ho emphasized that when Choi Jin-sil passed away, the cash in her bank accounts was frozen and later used to cover penalties, lawsuits, and living expenses. Despite this, rumors claiming that her alleged 20 billion won fortune had disappeared have continued to circulate, causing distress to the family.
Jung Ok-sook said she decided to speak out because she wanted to correct misinformation. She stated, “If I die like this, who will know the truth? At the very least, I want to correct the parts that are not true.”
Meanwhile, Choi Jin-sil married Cho Sung-min in 2000, but the couple divorced four years later. Their two children, Choi Hwan-hee and Choi Jun-hee, were raised by Choi Jin-sil until her tragic passing in 2008 at the age of 39.
Choi Jun-hee is set to hold her wedding on May 16 at a hotel in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Her fiancé is an office worker who is 11 years older than her, and the two have reportedly been in a relationship for five years.
Sources: Nate
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