Lee Soo Yeon is at the center of a chilling true crime controversy after her death was revealed as a fatal exorcism ritual.
The June 28 episode of SBS’s Unanswered Questions exposed the case of Lee Soo Yeon (alias), a woman in her 30s who was burned alive in a Korean barbecue restaurant in Incheon. The restaurant, known for never closing—even during holidays—shut down suddenly in January last year when Lee’s parents vanished. When it reopened, a woman named Kim, in her 70s, took over. Lee stayed behind with her brother to run the business.
On September 18, the last day of the Chuseok holiday, Lee died after falling onto burning charcoal. Her parents told neighbors it was a tragic accident—she was overworked and accidentally fell in. Everyone believed it was an accident.
Police later obtained CCTV footage from the day of Lee’s death. It showed Lee on the restaurant’s second floor with her three children and another man. A metal frame was set up and Lee climbed onto it, lying face down. Kim’s son put a basin of burning charcoal underneath. Lee’s wrists and ankles were bound, her mouth gagged. The charcoal’s heat was cranked up repeatedly. She died from multiple organ failure caused by severe burns.
A friend of Lee said she had spoken about her aunt being a “very powerful shaman” and having to do “whatever the aunt told her.”
Investigations uncovered that Kim was Lee’s aunt and a shaman. Lee’s cousins were also involved. The accused claimed it was a ritual to exorcise evil spirits possessing Lee and insisted they never intended for her to die.
Lee’s family surprised many by asking for leniency for the perpetrators. They believe she was possessed and view her death as a tragic accident, not murder.
"The victim’s family begged for leniency for the perpetrators."
This case has sparked heated debates on whether it was a botched exorcism or clear torture. The story continues to gain traction as viewers weigh in on the shocking details.
