Seoul murder suspect Kim diagnosed as psychopath amid social media fixation

A 21-year-old South Korean woman charged with murdering two men by administering drug-laced drinks at motels in northern Seoul has been formally diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, police confirmed on Wednesday.

The suspect, identified only by her surname Kim, scored above the clinical threshold for psychopathy on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), a standard 20-item assessment used to evaluate traits including coldness, impulsivity, irresponsibility and a lack of empathy.

According to the Seoul Gangbuk Police Station (SGPS), a score of 25 or more out of a possible 40 points is considered to indicate psychopathy. Kim reportedly exceeded that threshold.

The SGPS stated that the test results were forwarded to prosecutors immediately upon completion, as reported by Yonhap.

Kim was transferred to the prosecution last month for further investigation and formal indictment. She is accused of killing two men and injuring a third.

Alleged crimes

Kim faces charges of murder, aggravated bodily injury and violations of the Narcotics Control Act.

Authorities allege she administered drinks laced with benzodiazepines — sedatives that had been prescribed to her — to three men at motels in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul, between December 2025 and February 2026.

Her first alleged attempt occurred in December 2025, when a former partner lost consciousness but survived after consuming the laced drink.

Subsequent incidents in January and February 2026 allegedly resulted in two fatalities.

Kim has maintained that she did not intend to kill the men, claiming she only wished to sedate them following disputes.

ChatGPT queries cited as evidence

Investigators examining Kim's mobile phone uncovered a series of questions she had posed to the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, including queries such as "What happens if you take sleeping pills with alcohol?" and "Could it kill someone?"

Authorities cited these AI-generated chat records as evidence suggesting premeditated intent.

Legal analysts noted that South Korean investigators are increasingly reviewing generative AI chat histories as part of digital forensic work. Because queries to AI systems tend to be written in full sentences, experts argue they may more explicitly reveal a user's reasoning than conventional keyword-based web searches.

Privacy advocates, however, have cautioned that broad seizure of AI conversation records could raise significant ethical and human rights concerns, calling for clear legal frameworks governing such access.

Psychopathy assessment

The PCL-R, developed by Canadian psychologist Robert Hare, is widely used in forensic and clinical settings to assess psychopathic traits. It evaluates characteristics across interpersonal, affective, lifestyle and antisocial dimensions.

Kim's diagnosis adds a significant dimension to a case already drawing intense scrutiny from the public and the legal community.

The SGPS confirmed that test results were relayed to prosecutors as part of the ongoing investigation file ahead of formal indictment proceedings.

Viral attention and public debate

Separate from the legal proceedings, the case has generated extensive discussion on social media platforms, centred on the suspect's physical appearance.

An Instagram account believed to belong to Kim reportedly surged from approximately 200 followers to nearly 10,000 within days around 24 February 2026, attracting both expressions of admiration and targeted harassment.

The account received more than 1,800 comments. Among them were remarks such as "Pretty, so not guilty," "She should get a lighter sentence," and "I'm on your side."

The timing of a post attributed to Kim further intensified public criticism. On the day the second alleged victim died, Kim reportedly uploaded a selfie taken while lying down, accompanied by hashtags including "#welcomefollowers" and "#followforfollow," according to widely circulated online posts.

Online debate and historical comparisons

The case prompted heated discussion on the social media platform X, with many users questioning the public fixation on the suspect's appearance.

One widely shared post drew a comparison to the 2003 case of Lee Mi-hye, known in South Korean media as the "beauty robber," asking whether society was again embracing the notion that physical attractiveness confers innocence.

Another user argued that social media filters distort reality, writing that appearance should bear no influence on perceptions of guilt.

A commenter reflecting on the victims' families wrote: "It must feel incredibly upsetting from the victims' perspective. I just hope history doesn't repeat itself."

Further posts expressed broader frustration. "The idea of 'beauty equals innocence' is seriously ridiculous," wrote one user. "I can't believe I share the same vote as people like this."