On June 28, SBS’s investigative program “Unanswered Questions” will air an episode delving into a horrifying incident where a woman in her 30s suffered fatal burns after being tortured with burning charcoal—allegedly in the name of exorcism by her shaman aunt.
The victim, known as Lee Soo-yeon (alias), was a well-known figure at a once-popular barbecue restaurant in Incheon, famed for never closing—even during holidays. However, in January last year, the restaurant suddenly shut down. When it reopened, the ownership had shifted from the married couple who once ran it to a new 70-year-old woman, Kim, who is later revealed to be Soo-yeon’s aunt.
On September 18 last year, during the final day of the Chuseok holiday, the family claimed that Soo-yeon collapsed from overwork and accidentally fell onto a pile of hot charcoal, suffering fatal burns. At the time, neighbors were told it was a tragic workplace accident.
CCTV Footage Reveals Grisly Truth
However, the aforementioned narrative unraveled when investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the restaurant’s second floor. It showed a metal structure being assembled, and Soo-yeon being bound and laid on top of it. Kim’s son then placed a basin of hot charcoal directly beneath her.
It was cleared from this footage that Soo-yeon wasn’t a victim of an accidental fall. Instead, she was tortured. Her wrists and ankles were bound, her mouth gagged, and the added charcoal intensified the heat. In the end, she died from multiple organ failure due to severe burns.
An “Exorcism Ritual” Gone Wrong?
Shocking further details emerged when a friend of the victim recalled Soo-yeon once saying, “My aunt is a powerful shaman. I have to do whatever she says.”
Indeed, Kim is a practicing shaman and Soo-yeon’s aunt. She, along with three others—including Soo-yeon’s cousins—claimed that the ritual was an exorcism intended to drive out evil spirits from Soo-yeon’s body, not a form of torture or murder. They insisted they never intended for her to die.
Surprisingly, Soo-yeon’s parents are reportedly requesting leniency for the perpetrators, insisting it was a tragic accident rather than intentional homicide. They believe that Soo-yeon was possessed and the ritual took an unforeseen turn.
A Tragic Case Wrapped in Belief and Brutality
As “Unanswered Questions” investigates further, viewers are left with chilling questions: What really happened on the second floor of that restaurant? How much pain did Soo-yeon endure during the charcoal torture? Was it misguided faith—or something far more sinister?
The full story will air at 11:10 p.m. KST on June 28, raising national outrage and a renewed conversation about pseudoscientific practices, abuse, and accountability masked as spiritual belief.
