In May 2023, South Korea witnessed one of its most disturbing crimes — a murder so calculated and emotionless that it left an entire nation horrified. A 23-year-old woman named Yu Jong, who seemed on the surface to be quiet and polite, shocked the country when she was arrested for brutally killing her tutor, a young woman named Hannah.
What made the case even more chilling was Yu Jong’s motive. She wasn’t driven by anger, jealousy, or revenge. She confessed that she committed the murder out of curiosity — simply to “see what it feels like” to kill someone. For a girl who had spent years fascinated by true-crime stories, this wasn’t just a fantasy anymore; it became her reality.
The story began in the early hours of the morning when a taxi driver picked up a girl at around 3 A.M. She carried a large, heavy suitcase and insisted on handling it herself. Her destination — a nearby park by the river — immediately struck the driver as odd for that hour. About twenty minutes later, the same driver noticed the girl again. This time, her suitcase looked strangely light. Suspicion crept in. Something wasn’t right. Trusting his instincts, the driver reported what he had seen to the police. That single call would unravel one of the most shocking murder cases in South Korea’s recent history.
Police soon discovered that the suitcase had contained the dismembered remains of Hannah, an English tutor who had been missing for less than a day. Investigations revealed that Yu Jong had spent weeks meticulously planning her crime. She had studied methods of body disposal, researched how to hide a corpse, and even chosen her victim carefully through an online tutoring platform.
Yu Jong’s approach was as calculated as it was cold. She disguised herself as a middle-school student, contacting Hannah under the pretense of needing English lessons. When Hannah initially declined because of the distance, Yu Jong persisted. Eventually, she convinced her to meet in person. On the day of the murder, Yu Jong appeared at Hannah’s door wearing a thrift-store uniform to complete her disguise. Within minutes of entering the apartment, she stabbed Hannah repeatedly in the neck, killing her almost instantly.
Security footage later showed Yu Jong calmly moving between her apartment and Hannah’s, buying cleaning supplies and retrieving a suitcase large enough to carry the body. There was no panic in her movements — just a disturbing sense of composure. After dismembering the body, she placed the remains inside the suitcase, called for a taxi, and headed toward a park to dispose of them.
Her plan began to crumble when the taxi driver, unsettled by her behavior, reported her to the police. Within just five hours of the body’s discovery, Yu Jong was arrested. Even then, her reaction was unnerving. She remained calm, emotionless, and detached. When questioned, she lied to officers, claiming the remains were those of her “baby.” The lie fell apart quickly once medical examiners identified the remains as Hannah’s.
When confronted with undeniable evidence, Yu Jong pretended to feel ill to delay interrogation. It wasn’t until her grandfather made an emotional plea, begging her to tell the truth, that she finally confessed. What followed was a confession that left investigators speechless. She admitted that she had always been obsessed with true-crime content and serial-killer documentaries. She wanted to know what it would be like to end a life. And so, she planned every step of it.
Her background painted the portrait of a deeply isolated and emotionally detached young woman. Raised by her grandfather after a troubled childhood, Yu Jong spent most of her teenage years avoiding people. Former classmates described her as invisible — someone who never spoke, never made friends, and preferred to sit behind curtains alone. She wasn’t bullied; she simply existed in silence.
After finishing high school, she withdrew from society completely. For nearly five years, she rarely left her room, pretending to study for an exam that didn’t exist. She applied for a few jobs, including one as a golf caddy, but her refusal to speak during interviews led to rejection. Some experts believe that this rejection, possibly tied to her poor English skills, built resentment toward English speakers — resentment that may have influenced her choice of victim.
Her internet search history revealed an obsession with death. Terms related to corpse disposal, real murder cases, and psychological behavior filled her browser logs. Experts who studied the case suggested that Yu Jong displayed clear psychopathic traits — a lack of empathy, emotional detachment, and fascination with control.
The murder of Hannah became a national discussion in South Korea. People were horrified not only by the brutality of the crime but by its motivation — curiosity. It led to growing concern over the safety of online tutoring platforms, where personal details like addresses and phone numbers are often shared between tutors and students. Many began to question how easily predators could exploit such systems.
Even months later, the image of Yu Jong — calm, expressionless, walking through CCTV corridors — continues to haunt the public. Her story serves as a disturbing reminder that sometimes evil doesn’t come with warning signs. It hides behind ordinary faces, fueled not by hatred but by an absence of humanity itself.
