On May 20, KBS2’s acclaimed true-crime program Smoking Gun will air a chilling episode focused on one of South Korea’s most disturbing recent crimes—the peer murder case committed by Jeong Yoo-jeong. Known for combining scientific evidence with expert commentary, Smoking Gun continues to captivate viewers with real-life crime investigations.
The upcoming episode will explore the shocking 2023 murder of a woman in her 20s, a case that stunned the nation due to its brutality, premeditation, and the young age of the perpetrator.
The Crime That Shocked South Korea
The incident took place in May 2023, when a taxi driver reported suspicious behavior after picking up a woman carrying a large bag near the Nakdong River. The woman disappeared into nearby bushes and returned with a significantly lighter bag, prompting the concerned driver to call the police. Authorities arrived and discovered blood traces in the bag, leading to the arrest of 23-year-old Jeong Yoo-jeong.
Investigations revealed that Jeong Yoo-jeong had contacted her victim—a stranger—through a tutoring app and stabbed her 111 times before dismembering the body. Further evidence confirmed that Jeong Yoo-jeong had searched online for terms like “how to kill a person” and “murder without a body” over a year, proving the act was meticulously premeditated.
Legal Consequences and Public Reaction
Jeong Yoo-jeong was sentenced to life in prison without parole by the Busan District Court on November 24, 2023. Despite the prosecution requesting the death penalty, the court considered her lack of criminal history and her submission of 21 letters of remorse. However, judges questioned the sincerity of those letters.
Due to the brutality and calculated nature of the crime, her identity was made public under South Korea’s Special Act on Punishment of Specific Violent Crimes, making her one of the youngest offenders to face such exposure. Both the Busan High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the life sentence on appeal.
The case has already drawn attention through multiple media outlets, including Wavve’s Villain’s Report and SBS’s Unanswered Questions. Smoking Gun now joins in with a fresh and detailed exploration of the case.
Expert Analysis and Behind-the-Scenes Details
In this special episode, viewers will hear from Bang Cheol, former chief of psychological analysis at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and Lee Han-kyul, a psychological analyst with the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office. Both experts met Jeong Yoo-jeong personally and will provide rare insights into her psychological state and the investigation process.
Psychiatrist Cha Seung-min will also offer a deep analysis of Jeong Yoo-jeong’s psychological profile and motivations, examining the factors that could have led to such a heinous crime.
Hosts Lee Ji-hye and An Hyun-mo expressed outrage and disbelief upon hearing the case details. Lee Ji-hye remarked, “Even the devil couldn’t be more cruel than this,” while An Hyun-mo commented, “It was clearly planned, yet she claims it was spontaneous—unbelievable.”
The Smoking Gun episode detailing the Jeong Yoo-jeong peer murder case will air on May 20 at 9:45 p.m. KST on KBS2. With in-depth forensic analysis, expert interviews, and chilling case facts, the episode promises to be one of the most talked-about in the series to date.