Seoul Museum of Art official dies after brief fame

A Seoul Museum of Art official was found dead at her apartment, police said Monday. Korea Times file

By Lee Gyu-lee

A Seoul Museum of Art official who became famous recently after appearing on a popular TV show has been found dead in an apparent suicide, according to Jongno Police Station Monday.

Police said they were investigating the death of the official, surnamed Kim.

Kim was a guest on tvN's talk show, “You Quiz on the Block,” last October. The show invites people from various fields to share stories about their line of work and life.

In one of the show's episodes, she appeared as one of the youngest people to have passed the state test to become a Grade 7 public official. She passed the exam at the age of 20 in 2019.

The Segye Ilbo, a local paper, reported earlier that the victim had suffered from bullying at work ― an allegation the museum has denied.

“About half of the employees have been working from home due to COVID-19, and the investigation is still ongoing. We are still trying to figure out what led to her death,” a museum representative said Tuesday.

“We have never heard about bullying accusations. When employees have trouble at work, they bring it up to the management or the administrative office, but there were no such attempts from her. She never asked to transfer to a different department, nor did she complain about her work. So it's all shocking.”

Meanwhile, tvN has removed from social media the video of the episode in which Kim appeared.

How to get help: the Korea Suicide Prevention Center can be reached at 1393, LifeLine Korea at 1588-9191, and Help Call for Youth at 1388. Lines are available 24/7 offering free and confidential support for people in distress. To seek counseling at Seoul Global Center, call 02-2075-4180.