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Murderer of 20-year-old TikToker sentenced to 40 years in prison

Published: 20 Mar. 2026, 18:28

A suspect in his 50s accused of murdering a female TikToker in her 20s and abandoning her body is escorted to a court hearing for a warrant review in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 16, 2025. [NEWS1]

A man who killed a TikToker in her 20s and abandoned her body in a wooded area last September was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Friday.

The Suwon District Court convicted the defendant in his 50s of murder, abandoning a corpse and obstruction of official duties.

“The value of human life is absolute and cannot be replaced by anything, and murder can never be justified under any circumstances, whether it be impulsive or not,” the court said.

“The defendant transported the victim’s body to Muju, North Jeolla, and denied the crime until the body was discovered, disputing intent to kill until late in the trial. The victim’s family, who lost her at the young age of 25 before she could pursue her dreams, continue to suffer irreparable pain, grief and guilt.”

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, saying, “The defendant showed particularly cruel behavior by sending messages to the victim’s father after the killing, pretending she was still alive.”

According to investigators, the defendant approached the victim last May, saying, “I am familiar with the TikTok market and can help increase your subscribers,” and proposed a business partnership and investment.

A sign reads ″Suwon District Court″ in front of the court in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Feb.25. [YONHAP]

However, the two fell out over the direction of the channel, which escalated into an argument during filming, leading to the crime on Sept. 11 last year.

During the fight, he strangled her to death in Yeongjong Island in Incheon and abandoned the corpse in a mountain in Muju, North Jeolla.

Following the ruling, the victim’s mother broke down in court. She approached the defendant holding a photo of her daughter and cried out, “Aren’t you sorry?”

“Considering his age, the sentence is effectively equivalent to life imprisonment, so we are grateful,” the family said, adding they had never felt any remorse from the defendant.

“We feel her absence deeply and live in constant fear that our parents may make the wrong choice at any moment, but we are trying to go on as a family,” the victim's brother said in a statement. “Please make sure there are no more victims like this.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]