Court Rules that Actress Choi Jin-sil Heirs to Compensate Advertiser
The heirs of the late actress, Choi Jin Sil has been ordered by a court to compensate an adver
tiser since she failed to maintain her dignity as a model when pictures of her after a beating by her then-husband Cho Sung-min were publicized in media.
A construction company sued the Choi Jin Sil in 2004 for W3 billion (US$1=W1,250) for damages incurred and the modeling fee paid. The company paid Choi W250 million in March 2004 for modeling for apartment buildings. The said contract included a clause that if Choi disgraced the image of the company by damaging her social and moral image through her own fault, she would repay the firm twice the modeling fee.
Since Choi passed away in 2008, her status has been passed on to her children, an 8-year old son and a 6-year old daughter with Choi’s mother acting as their guardian.
Choi was initially cleared of the responsibility but the Supreme Court has reveresed the decion and sent the case back to Seoul High Court.
This is a rather sad case and I do symphatize with Choi Jin Sil’s heirs. To think they lost their mother at such a young age and now they are faced with this. Granted that the photos may have damaged the “image of the company” but she was the one beaten up so I think she’s more of the victim..
Hope this case ends up well for Choi Jin Sil’s heirs.