Lee Choon-jae

Lee Choon-jae is a South Korean serial killer who terrorized the rural community of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, between 1986 and 1994. He is responsible for the Hwaseong serial murders, the most infamous unsolved criminal case in modern South Korean history until his identification through DNA evidence in 2019. Lee confessed to murdering 15 women and girls, though he could only be prosecuted for one murder due to expired statutes of limitations. His crimes inspired the acclaimed 2003 film Memories of Murder, directed by Bong Joon-ho. Lee remains incarcerated, serving a life sentence for the 1994 murder of his sister-in-law.[edit]

Lee Choon-jae grew up in the rural farming community of Hwaseong, the third of four children in a family of modest means. His father worked as a manual laborer, and his mother was a homemaker. Neighbors described him as a quiet, unremarkable boy who kept to himself. He attended local schools, where his academic performance was average, and showed no particular aptitude or interest in any subject. After completing compulsory education, Lee did not pursue higher education. In his late teens, he entered the workforce, taking various manual labor jobs in and around Hwaseong, including stints as a factory worker and a farmhand. By the time the first Hwaseong murder occurred in 1986, Lee was 23 years old and living in the area, maintaining a seemingly normal life. He married, had a son, and worked as a factory worker, described by acquaintances as ordinary and unremarkable, which helped him evade suspicion for decades.[edit]

Lee Choon-jae's criminal career began on September 15, 1986, with the murder of 71-year-old Lee Wan-im, who was raped and strangled in a field in Hwaseong. Over the next five years, he murdered at least 14 women and girls, with the last confirmed Hwaseong murder in April 1991. His victims ranged in age from 13 to 71, and he typically targeted women in isolated rural areas at night, using their own clothing to strangle them. The case remained unsolved for over three decades, becoming the most notorious unsolved serial murder case in South Korea. In January 1994, Lee murdered his sister-in-law and was arrested, receiving a life sentence. In October 2019, DNA evidence from a 1987 victim's underwear matched his profile, leading to his confession to the Hwaseong murders. However, due to the 15-year statute of limitations, he could not be prosecuted for those crimes. Lee remains in prison for the 1994 murder, with no possibility of parole until at least 2034.[edit]

Lee Choon-jae is widely reviled in South Korea and internationally as one of the most notorious serial killers in modern history. Media portrays him as a cold, unremorseful predator who terrorized a rural community for years. There is no positive public image or fandom associated with him. Public interest is driven by morbid curiosity and true crime fascination. He is often compared to other infamous serial killers like Ted Bundy in terms of the lasting cultural impact of his unsolved crimes. The Hwaseong case remains a dark chapter in South Korean history, frequently referenced in true crime documentaries and podcasts.[edit]

There is no formal fandom or organized fanbase for Lee Choon-jae; the public response to his crimes has been defined by fear, outrage, and a demand for justice rather than adoration. His notoriety stems entirely from the Hwaseong serial murders, transforming him into a subject of true crime study rather than pop culture worship. Despite the absence of a supportive following, his cultural footprint remains immense, placing him among the most recognized figures in criminal history globally. According to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, he is currently the 75th most famous person in True Crime, a position holding steady from the previous cycle. This ranking reflects the enduring global attention paid to the case through media coverage, search activity, and consumption of related content worldwide. The sheer scale of the investigation and the subsequent legal battles have cemented his status as a defining figure in modern criminology. While he lacks the celebrity rituals associated with entertainers, the gravity of his actions ensures his name persists in public discourse. The rankings are derived from comprehensive data on international interest and historical impact, confirming his place at number 75 within the true crime industry without requiring further elaboration on methodology. His presence in the global consciousness is maintained not by fan campaigns but by the relentless nature of the unsolved mystery that gripped a nation for decades.[edit]

Lee was identified through DNA recovered from a 1987 victim's underwear, which had been preserved in police evidence for 32 years before yielding results. The original suspect, Yoon Sung-yeo, was wrongfully convicted and spent two decades in prison before being exonerated in 2019. Lee reportedly watched the film Memories of Murder while incarcerated and described it as interesting, displaying no remorse for the atrocities committed. He frequently used victims' own clothing to strangle them, a method chosen to minimize forensic evidence left at the scenes. Police investigations suggest he may have been involved in up to 30 additional unsolved murders and sexual assaults throughout the region. Since 1994, he has been described as a model prisoner, working diligently in prison workshops and maintaining a low profile. A notable development in the case occurred in November 2025 when his ex-wife broke a 31-year silence to reveal details of domestic abuse, asking why she was not killed despite her family blaming her for the marriage. These personal revelations add a layer of human tragedy to the documented history of the Hwaseong Serial Murders, transforming abstract statistics into a narrative of profound suffering. In April 2026, a damages suit filed by the family of the man falsely accused opened in court, seeking compensation for the wrongful imprisonment. Additionally, the case inspired the K-drama The Scarecrow, released around April 2026, which revisited the infamous case with a focus on reality over feel-good endings.[edit]

Lee's father worked as a manual laborer, and his mother was a homemaker. He was the third of four children. Lee married a woman named Park in the late 1980s, during the period when he was committing the Hwaseong murders. The couple had one son, born in the early 1990s. After Lee's 1994 conviction for murdering his sister-in-law, Park divorced him. She later remarried and changed her son's surname to her new husband's name to distance the family from Lee's crimes. Both his ex-wife and son are estranged from him and live private lives. Lee has no known contact with his family.[edit]

The Hwaseong murders inspired Bong Joon-ho's 2003 film Memories of Murder, starring Song Kang-ho. The case also led to the wrongful conviction of Yoon Sung-yeo, who spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated in 2019 after Lee's confession.[edit]

Lee married a woman named Park in the late 1980s, during the period when he was committing the Hwaseong murders. They had one son together in the early 1990s. After Lee was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1994 for murdering his sister-in-law, Park divorced him. She later remarried and changed her son's surname to her new husband's name to distance the family from Lee. She has publicly stated she had no knowledge of his crimes and was shocked by the 2019 revelations. Lee has had no known romantic relationships while incarcerated. As of 2026, Lee is divorced and single, with no current partner.[edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Lee Choon-jae has an estimated net worth of $0. As a convicted life prisoner in South Korea, he possesses no known assets, income streams, business ventures, endorsement deals, real estate holdings, investments, or production companies. His legal defense during the proceedings was provided entirely by court-appointed attorneys. He holds no connection to family wealth, and his estranged ex-wife and son maintain no financial ties to him. Lee has no source of income and remains incarcerated with no possibility of parole for at least another decade.[edit]