Choi Jin Shil Sued For Being Domestic Violence Victim

[Guest missy2006]

@ jybaby:

I have to disagree with you. If it was clear case of breach of contract they wouldn’t lose the battle before the lower courts. Cases, like this one, that span over several years and several instances are never simple. Unless you are a Korean lawyer who is familiar with the case, you can’t give competent opinions on the legal issues concerning it. Although, you and I can only guess the facts I’ll tell you one thing: in this case Shinhan are clearly the bad guys because they manipulate the law to their advantage. Clauses for damages in contracts (like the one CJS signed) exist to keep in check (or punish, if necessary) individuals with reckless (and dangerous) behavior who might set bad examples for others with their actions. When they claimed compensation for damages against CJS they didn’t seek justice. They probably saw a chance to get back what they paid her, plus interest, plus compensation for “damages” and compensation for legal costs. They were abusing the law. They decided to sue a woman, who suffered domestic violence for years, because she wasn’t able to stop her husband from beating her and because she wasn’t able to stop the tabloids from spreading pictures of her injuries.

I have no idea why some people expect a woman to have superhuman abilities and be able to control all the events in her live, so that she can successfully maintain perfect image? Do they expect her to fight like Chuck Norris and censor any information about her that appears in the media (btw, that’s illegal in most countries and can get you in jail)? And if this is not enough, after her death they decided to go after her children and demand more than half the money their mother left them to support themselves. It is simply outrageous. Shinhan is a big construction company. What they paid CJS years ago is pocket money compared to the amounts they need to operate daily. They don’t need the money to survive. And I don’t know how all this is supposed to “fix” their “damaged” reputation, either. It seems more like their greed got them in an expensive legal mess and they want to get out of it by making two little children pay for it. This is what is wrong and immoral.

I totally agree with you on this, this is what really peeves me off. Not only did they sue her for something that is beyond her control, but taking money from two small kids who are too young to even defend their right....... that is SO LOW. I want netizens to burn this company on the stakes of negative publicity.... Actually ..... I want who whoever made the final decision to sue her (and go after her estate) to lose 1000% or more of the amount that they are taking away from their children. And I want that Supreme Court Judge who sided with the company, to LOSE a thousand night of restful sleep, thinking how his decision will jeopardize the future of two small children.

I am no lawyer, but even as a layman, I can see that the company is NOT within their right to sue her. There are many ways to ruin one's public image, doing drugs, adultery, starting a fight, gambling, dancing naked in public....the list goes on....BUT being a victim of domestic violence is NOT one of them!

And for those that are saying it's purely business and the company is within their right......let me tell you this, when you own a business, the first thing you need to realize is its important to look after the welfare of your people, that sometimes money should be secondary. Create a good product, make sure you are being fair to your customers and employees (and you pay the right taxes) and financial stability will follow. As I stated in my first post, they would have gained more if they showed sympathy to her and her children.

I sometime wish I were a korean netizen, I wouldn't mind flooding their email box with hate mail, until I richard simmons somebody off.

[Guest Grace-san]

^ Yes, I completely agree with you. This is stupid and totally out of order. I can actually barely believe this is true. It's disgusting to think that people would really sink this low.

[Guest jicks]

I had to re-read this topic title 3 times because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

is everyone here lacking any kind of rationale? It's a simple breach of contract. It's not even remotely close to being ridiculous, it's actually expected. The only difference between this and Kate Moss getting cut by her advertisers for the coke incident is that obviously Choi Jin Shil was the victim of domestic abuse. That's too bad, and we should all have sympathy for her, but the company exists to make profits, without said profits, their employees and families could all be for a rough time. I know soompi's for teens, but wow...

^This "only difference" you mention is tremendously significant. You speak of it so lightly & ignorantly that it kinda frightens me.

Kate Moss' actions were conscious, personal decisions. She chose to step into these grounds knowing clearly damn well that she would be breaching her contract w/ the labels & companies she represented.

Cho Jin Shil's position however was completely powerless. Yes her image of being a "pure-life" & "mess-free" celebrity was soiled but that was not because she personally & consciously elected for it. Given the option I am sure she would not have wanted to be a sufferer of domestic violence.

From a emotionless & contractual standpoint, sure the company is in every right to take legal action but I sure as hell hope that they don't succeed in getting the payout that they want. Or anything at all for that matter. I wouldn't be surprised if the company takes a hit... good luck to anyone else now who voluntarily decides to work w/ or for them. It is completely saddening & downright frightening that such lack of humanity & morale can exist.

I sincerely pray that Cho Jin Shil's family stays strong through this & may her soul rest in peace.

[Guest damifino]

^ The main difference is NOT that Kate Moss made conscious, personal decisions and Cho Jin Shil's position was completely powerless... the main difference is that Kate Moss had a contract in the Western world and CJS had one in Korea. The culture of Korea and thus the clauses in the contracts are a lot different than England and anywhere else that Kate Moss had a contract. A lot of times people in the Western world will say that even bad publicity is good publicity, but in Korea, bad or even just unpleasant publicity could put an end to your career/company... even if you did NOTHING WRONG. There was an actress who was bitten by an anaconda while filming a TV show a few years back and while she was the one who suffered because of the publicity surrounding the incident, she was basically blacklisted in Korean entertainment for several years and she was only able to get a job after leaving show business for a few years. How the Korean public reacts to news is different than elsewhere. While folks here might say that what happened to CJS was something that she had no control over, in the eyes of the Korean public and their association of her with a certain product, it makes little difference. The fact is the company's image probably DID SUFFER as a result of their association with her. Would you buy a home/apartment being advertised as a happy place to live by someone who was a victim of domestic violence? The company is entitled to compensation, even if what happened to CJS was unfortunate.

For the person who are asking "how they can ask for money from someone who's suffering so much"... the company didn't make her suffer, that was her husband. All the company had with her was a contract which she didn't fulfill. It isn't injustice to ask someone to RETURN the money they got for not fulfilling their obligation. Just because she decided to kill herself 4 years after the breach of contract issue, doesn't make the company's losses go away.

[Guest <3*gabbss.;]

whoaa WTF. it's not like she wants to get beaten up to ruin the company's image on purpose..

what a horrible company.. -.-

[Guest blueberries8213]

@ damifino

I understand what you're trying to say.

The culture difference makes it hard us westerners to agree with the Koreans.

However, I myself as a Korean believe that this is wrong.

I do know that just because I think it's wrong, there may be others who don't think so.

Right now, all we're doing is fighting over who's right and who's wrong.

In my point of view, the company is wrong.

CJS did nothing wrong, yet she is still being punished. Why? Why can't the company just leave her to rest in peace?

On the other hand, the company wants its money.

You mention that the Korean public will see this as CJS's fault.

I ask you, do you think this is right? Is this morally right? Or is it morally wrong?

I find this morally wrong.

If we leave problems and situations that are wrong for the people, then we should not just sit aroung.

We should actually do something.

The vibe I'm receiving from your comment/post is this: CJS lived in the East therefore bad publicity ruins everything. If she lived in the West, it would've been different. Bad publicity would still have been "good." It's too bad she was born Korean. Oh well."

You, as a person, is telling us this injustice and asking us to leave it alone?

I mean, sure, the company didn't make her suffer, nor did it cause her suffering.

However, right now, by suing her, it is hurting her family.

It didn't cause her suffering- it's adding to it.

And you're telling us that we should just sit by and let it happen?

I THINK NOT.

Believe or not, there are probably some Korean sites that have people arguing just like us.

I pray that our voices will be heard by the Korean government and that company.

I pray that nothing that abuses human rights (such as this case) will have to come up again.

If they do, then I pray that people will not only point fingers but take action.

[miyachan11]

What the heck with the company o_O

[Guest kinella]

it's not a matter of cultural difference

it's a thing about women's condition and their rights

do you know that domestic violence is the first cause of death for women all around the world?

a sentence like that one who condemned Choi Jin Shil for ruining her image, and consequently that company's image, for being a victim of domestic violence is outrageous.

i, as a woman as a human being, feel extremely offended because it sounds like those crappy things you can often hear that is the woman's fault if she is a victim of an aggression or a rape.

that fact that it's THE LAW doesn't mean the law is a fair law

THE LAW in most countries used (and in some still uses) to say that women cannot vote or study or decide who to marry

South Africa apartheid laws were THE LAW but this didnt make them untouchable.

an unfair law can be changed and it's up to us to push the public opinion, as citizens.

[d a y.b r e a k]

oh thats smart. sue her when she's dead. ._____.

talk about ridiculous . just let the woman restinpeacee.

[Guest damifino]

RE: blueberries8213's post above

I don't see the company as being in the wrong, either legally OR morally. What happened to her at the hands of her husband was wrong, but why should the COMPANY be the ones to compensate CJS for that (because that's in essence is what you are saying... that they should absorb the loss)? All they had with CJS was a WORK contract, they aren't her husband or her children's guardian and shouldn't be held to financially support her kids (by not getting THEIR money back) for money she would probably have had to return had she been alive.

[Guest soulmate.]

suing her? why won't they just let her rest in piece? ><

this is riduclious!

[Guest ck616]

OMG this makes me so MAD!

she's dead! LET HER REST IN PEACE!

dont they have any sympathy for her and her family?

you know suing a dead person is going to hurt their reputation even more anyways!

JEESH!

[Guest Atmosphere.]

Well this is Korea, cold-hearted, care for the money the most.

And I'm Korean, and I'm saying this. Most Koreans that live in Korea are like that, that's why I refuse to live there.

People think it's a fantasy living there... ha... THINK AGAIN!

That company is probably losing money, so they're picking on the person whose dead eesh.

Make their company look bad

[nell123]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/natio.../117_46676.html

I'm glad that someone is openly opposing this court ruling.

[Guest n*j o2]

haha.. WOW. just WOW.

theyre acting like a bunch of immature rats.

(fighting for 'food')

.. if ya know what i mean

[Guest __jinnny-shi.]

this is extremely WTF.

being sued because of getting beat up by her husband, then the company should sue her husband then. not her