Crazy Korea Stories 1: One Woman's Path to Revenge

In 2003, a 15-year marriage ended in a bitter divorce. Due to family matters the woman and the man remained tangled in each other’s lives. Beneath the surface, the woman’s resentment kept growing, because of her belief that the man had cheated during their marriage.

In June 2024, the woman, now in her 60s, discovered the man was still in touch with the woman she blamed for their split. The revelation ignited a month-long feud. Tensions boiled over when the man, exasperated by her accusations, tied her to a backhoe loader at his aquaculture farm in Gimhae, South Korea, leaving her bound for an hour before setting her free. That humiliation became her breaking point, planting the seed for revenge.

Despite surviving two brain aneurysm surgeries, the woman was relentless. As if she was the main character of an action movie, she hit the gym for a year, building strength with one goal: to make him pay. In June 2025, she visited his farm. Over drinks, she brought up the backhoe incident, insisting he feel the same helplessness. Worn down, the man said, “Do whatever you want.” She took it literally, tying his hands with compression bandages.

When he pleaded to be freed, she shot back, “Feel my pain,” refusing to comply. A struggle broke out, and fearing he’d fight back if untied, she strangled him to death.

The Changwon District Court sentenced the woman to 17 years in prison for murder. The court condemned the calculated nature of the crime, highlighting the man’s suffering and the lack of forgiveness from his family, including their children. Committing the act while on probation for a drug-related offense only worsened her case. The judge called the crime “unforgivable,” emphasizing that no motive could justify such an act.

In Korean culture, the idea of revenge (boksu, 복수) has deep historical and emotional roots. It is not merely a reaction to personal wrongs but is often tied to a strong sense of justice, honor, and restoring balance. When someone is wronged, the desire to retaliate can carry a moral weight, almost as if avenging the wrongdoing is a duty rather than a personal choice. This is connected to the Confucian emphasis on loyalty, respect, and proper order in human relationships. In such a system, failing to respond to a serious offense could be seen as weakness or dishonor, both to oneself and one’s family or group.

This cultural view of revenge is also intertwined with collective identity. In many traditional Korean stories and historical narratives, revenge is not simply an individual matter, it often represents the restoration of dignity for a family, village, or even the nation. The pain of humiliation can linger for generations, and the desire to right old wrongs can shape attitudes, behaviors, and cultural memory. This can create an undercurrent of quiet determination to “settle the score,” even if it takes time.