Raised in SK and SGP, top SK model hang herself in Paris

Top South Korean model found hanged in Paris apartment, suicide thought likely

Fri Nov 20, 8:20 AM
By Jean-Pierre Verges, The Associated Press

PARIS - A 20-year-old top South Korean model who was a fashion week regular in New York, Milan and Paris has been found hanged in her Paris apartment, a police official said Friday.

Daul Kim was found dead Thursday by her boyfriend, who alerted French police, the official said. He declined to be named in accordance with policy. Paris police were working under the hypothesis that Kim committed suicide, he said.

Kim's agent, Alessandra Bertoldini of the Next modeling agency, said the model's mother was arriving in Paris later Friday. She declined to elaborate.

Raised in Seoul and Singapore, Kim modeled in Asia before making her fashion week debut in Paris in 2007, modeling for top brands like Chanel, Dries van Noten and Maison Martin Margiela, among others, her Seoul agency, Esteem, said. She most recently appeared during Seoul fashion week in October.

Known for her thick mane of hair - sometimes dyed blond - and her quirky sensibility, the 5-foot-10 (178-centimetre) model was celebrated for her sense of style. She was featured recently in a commercial for designer Christopher Kane's line of clothing for British retailer Topshop.

Kim also was an accomplished painter and video filmmaker who had a solo show of her artwork in Seoul.

Bloggers in South Korea mourned her death, speculating she felt the pressure of high-fashion modeling and a loss of identity.

In an Oct. 30 entry on her blog, Kim wrote she was "mad depressed and overworked," and in another entry said "the more i gain the more lonely it is ... i know i'm like a ghost."

The last entry on her blog, dated Nov. 18, was titled "say hi to forever" and carried a video of the song "I Go Deep" by British singer Jim Rivers.

South Korea - which has the highest suicide rate among the 30 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development - has had a string of high-profile suicides over the past year.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun jumped to his death in May while embroiled in a widening corruption scandal and the ex-chairman of South Korea's oldest conglomerate killed himself earlier this month. In 2008, top actress Choi Jin-sil committed suicide, following in the footsteps of a fellow actor. A young actress in one of South Korea's popular soap operas also died by suicide.

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Associated Press writers Jean H. Lee, Kwang-tae Kim and Yewon Kang in Seoul contributed to this report.

she is just lonely, and probably should not have taken alcohol.

singveld said:

she is just lonely, and probably should not have taken alcohol.

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Police confirm Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke left suicide note

guardian.co.uk News Thu 12 Nov 2009 10:31 GMT
• Enke killed after being hit by a train in Neustadt-Eilvese
• Watch video of fans paying tribute to Hannover goalkeeper

Robert Enke, the Hannover and Germany goalkeeper who was expected to be part of his country's World Cup squad next summer, has died after being hit by a train close to a level crossing near his home.
Police said on Wednesday that Enke left behind a suicide note, but would not say where the note was found. Jörg Neblung, a close friend and adviser of Enke, confirmed that the 32-year-old had killed himself. "I can confirm that it was suicide," he said. "Robert took his own life. A press conference in Hanover will reveal more details."
"We are all shocked," said the national team's general manager, Oliver Bierhoff, who cancelled today's planned training session. "We are lost for words."
A police statement confirmed that the incident happened in Neustadt-Eilvese and Enke died at the scene. Hannover's president, Martin Kind, said the goalkeeper had been "unstable" recently but that it had not been publicly noticed. "This is a tragedy," Kind added.
• Raf Honigstein: Death casts long shadow over German football
• In video: German fans pay respect to Enke
• Gallery: Messages and tributes pour in for goalkeeper
• More news and comment on our European football site
Enke's car was found near the scene, unlocked, with his wallet on the seat. The two train drivers reported seeing a man on the tracks and applied the brakes while travelling at about 100mph but could not stop in time, police reported.
Enke's daughter Lara died in 2006 of a rare heart condition when she was two and he leaves a wife, Teresa, and an eight-month-old daughter they had adopted.
Germany's players and staff were informed after training in Bonn. Enke's death may bring about the cancellation of Saturday's friendly against Chile.
Enke had been diagnosed with a bacterial stomach virus several weeks ago and did not play for Hannover for two months, although he reappeared for Sunday's 2-2 draw with Hamburg. He was not selected for the friendlies against Chile and Ivory Coast next Wednesday although Germany's coach, Joachim Löw, had said Enke – who won eight caps after making his debut in 2007, the last of them against Azerbaijan in August – remained the leading candidate to be his No1 in South Africa.
Understudy to Jens Lehmann at Euro 2008, he was in line to secure the starting place before falling ill and missing the last three qualifiers. In that time Rene Adler increased his chances of taking the role. Enke made 196 Bundesliga appearances, also playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach after starting in East Germany with Jena. He had spells at Tenerife, Fenerbahce, Barcelona and Benfica.
Barcelona had a minute's silence in his honour before their Copa de Rey match against Cultural Leonesa, while Tenerife paid tribute to their former player. "Tenerife want to convey their condolences and sympathy following the recent death of the German goalkeeper Robert Enke," a statement said. "Tenerife will have a minute's silence in the next game against Sevilla and will wear black armbands."
Fans gathered at Hannover's stadium to lay flowers and light candles at the gates in memory of their captain, who had been with the club since 2004, while other high profile figures from Enke's career also paid tribute.
Former Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer said on the DFB's official website: "I am infinitely sad. When you receive news like this all other problems pale into insignificance."

Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi told Bild newspaper: "This can and must not be true. Robert was such a great bloke. I don't know how I will tell my wife. She is very good friends with Robert's wife. I feel for his family."
Hamburg captain David Jarolim added: "I can hardly breathe because I'm so upset. This is a real tragedy, I can hardly believe it. First his little daughter dies and then this."