“I Barely Eat”: The Former Beautiful First Lady of South Korea and Her Dramatic Fall From Grace

“I have to sleep all day, and I’m barely eating. I don’t even have the energy to stand up.”

At the first hearing of the appeal trial held at the Seoul High Court on August 26 for Kim Keon-hee (53), the wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, a defense witness testified about her current condition.

Kim, who is being held at the Seoul Detention Center, is said to be in extremely poor health due to accumulated physical and mental exhaustion. On the same day, Kim’s attorney, Yoo Jeong-hwa, posted the following on social media:

“I cannot casually say that Ms. Kim will recover soon. However, thanks to the warm words sent by her supporters, she is receiving medication adjustments and IV treatment at the detention center. We will continue to pay close attention to her health.”

Once hailed as the most beautiful first lady in the world, why has Kim ended up in detention, weakened to the point where she can barely eat? What crimes is she accused of committing? “FRIDAY Digital” has extensively reported on Kim’s troubles and her complicated relationship with former President Yoon since shortly after her arrest. Here, we revisit how and why Kim ended up at rock bottom――.

80,000 Members in Her Fan Club

“Will I ever be able to live with my husband again?”

Kim, who was arrested on August 12 last year on suspicion of bribery and other offenses, reportedly confided these words to her defense team.

Kim is a figure who has attracted attention not only in South Korean society but also in Japan. She faces a total of 16 charges (Yoon faces 12). They include stock-price manipulation, improper interference in the selection of candidates for the ruling party at the time, and providing favors to a religious organization in exchange for money and other gifts.

Among the allegations that drew particular scrutiny were the numerous luxury-brand items she allegedly received from supporters in return for favors such as helping relatives secure government positions. These included a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, a Tiffany brooch, and Chanel bags, with the total value believed to exceed ¥20 million.

Byun Jin-il, editor-in-chief of “Korea Report,” who is well versed in South Korean society, explains:

“Before Yoon became president, Kim said she would devote herself entirely to supporting her husband and even refrained from appearing in public with him. But as soon as Yoon became president, she began appearing prominently in public, posing alongside him on overseas trips and actively attending meetings with important figures. She suddenly became the focus of public attention, and around 80,000 people joined her fan club, ‘Geonhee Love’ (‘I Love Geonhee’).

One reason for the change in Kim’s attitude was the gap between her and Yoon. When they married in March 2012, Yoon was merely a prosecutor earning only around ¥2 million a year, whereas Kim, who ran an events company and also taught at a university, reportedly had assets worth hundreds of millions of yen. Since Kim was supporting Yoon financially, she may have developed a sense of pride that ‘I’m the one who made my husband president.’ Perhaps that sense of arrogance emboldened Kim, leading her to accept luxury goods and become involved in politics.”

However, Kim would soon fall dramatically from her position of power, following her husband’s downfall and testimony from people who had given her luxury goods.

During questioning by prosecutors, she refused to provide answers to most of their questions. Assigned detention number 4398, she is reportedly living in a roughly four-tatami-mat-sized room without air conditioning, where she was given underwear and towels.

The tragic fates of South Korea’s former Presidents

A tragic fate may await her in the years ahead. Byun continues:

“As for the charge of bribery through influence peddling, she was sentenced to seven years in prison without suspension in June this year. However, there are many other charges against Kim as well. There is a possibility that she may never leave prison for the rest of her life. When she was arrested last August, she reportedly asked her defense team, ‘Will I ever be able to live with my husband again?’ (as mentioned above). Those words may have reflected her awareness of the grim future that lay ahead.

There have been numerous cases of former South Korean presidents meeting miserable ends. Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 1997 for crimes including illegal accumulation of wealth, while Roh Moo-hyun took his own life in May 2009. However, I have never heard of a case in which a first lady faced serious criminal charges on as many as 16 counts like Kim. And a husband and wife being arrested together is unprecedented in South Korean history.”

The series of cases involving Kim has shaken South Korean society, and people both inside and outside the country are closely watching what happens next. Given how dramatically her life has fallen apart, Kim appears unlikely to find relief from the emotional strain anytime soon.