Rotten Mango
Rotten Mango
May 3, 2026

“Pretty” 20-Yr-Old Girl Kills Her Dates For Being “Needy”, But Men Want To "Fix Her"

YouTube · 2f8IOUSEyMQ

Quick Read

A 20-year-old South Korean woman, Kim Soyong, drugged and killed multiple dates, prompting a national discussion on beauty standards, online deception, and the disturbing public reaction to her perceived attractiveness.
Kim Soyong drugged and killed dates using a cocktail of prescription pills in hangover drinks, often for small financial gains and food.
Public reaction was initially sympathetic, with many defending her due to her 'pretty' Instagram photos, even after her crimes were known.
The release of her unedited mugshot drastically changed public opinion, shifting from defense to condemnation over her perceived 'ugliness' and photo manipulation.

Summary

The episode details the case of Kim Soyong, a 20-year-old South Korean woman who drugged and killed at least two men, and attempted to kill several others, after meeting them on dates. Soyong would lure men to motel rooms, administer a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs (obtained through 'medical shopping') mixed into hangover drinks, and then steal from them. Her motive appeared to be financial gain, albeit for small amounts, and an obsession with consuming large quantities of expensive food. The case gained notoriety due to the public's initial fascination with her heavily edited Instagram photos, leading to online comments defending her and even expressing a desire to 'fix her' because of her perceived beauty. This sentiment drastically shifted after her unedited mugshot was released, revealing a stark contrast to her online persona and sparking widespread criticism of superficial judgment and online deception.
This case highlights the dangerous intersection of online dating, unchecked mental health issues, and societal obsession with appearance. It serves as a stark reminder of how easily perception can be manipulated online and how superficial judgments can overshadow severe criminal acts. The public's initial defense of a serial killer based on her 'prettiness' exposes a disturbing bias, while the subsequent backlash after her mugshot reveals the fickle nature of online validation and the consequences of digital deception.

Takeaways

  • Kim Soyong, a 20-year-old, used dating apps and hunting bars to find victims, whom she would drug and kill in motel rooms.
  • Her method involved crushing various prescription pills into hangover drinks, which she then offered to her dates.
  • Soyong exhibited premeditation, carrying both drugged and clean hangover drinks, and documenting dosages in her journal.
  • She showed an insatiable obsession with food, often ordering large, expensive meals and taking them home after her victims were incapacitated.
  • Public sentiment initially defended Soyong due to her heavily edited Instagram photos, with some men expressing a desire to 'fix' her.
  • The release of her unedited mugshot led to a dramatic reversal of public opinion, with many condemning her for 'catfishing' and perceived lack of attractiveness.
  • Soyong's manipulative letters from prison, attempting to garner sympathy by recounting childhood traumas, were largely dismissed by the public and journalists.

Insights

1Premeditated Drugging and Murder for Petty Gain

Kim Soyong meticulously planned her attacks, using 'medical shopping' to acquire a wide array of prescription drugs. She would grind these pills into hangover drinks, carrying both drugged and clean bottles to evade detection. Her journal entries detailed dosage adjustments, indicating an experimental approach to killing. Her motives, though puzzlingly small-scale, revolved around extracting money and acquiring large quantities of expensive food from her victims.

Soyong collected prescription pills through 'medical shopping' (). She crushed pills with a kitchen knife and funneled them into hangover drinks (). She carried multiple bottles, one drugged and one clean, to switch out for police testing (). Her journal noted, 'Dose only knocked him out. It didn't kill him.' (, ). She would order 'ungodly amounts of food' () and steal cash or items (, ).

2Societal Bias: 'Pretty Privilege' in Public Perception of Crime

Initially, many South Korean netizens defended Kim Soyong, focusing on her perceived beauty from heavily edited Instagram photos. Comments expressed desires to 'fix' her or suggested victims 'asked for it.' This 'pretty privilege' overshadowed the severity of her crimes, creating a disturbing narrative where attractiveness could mitigate culpability.

Netizens dubbed her 'the prettiest killer alive' (). A viral post asked if it was 'bad to be pen pals with the motel killer' because 'she's pretty' (). Men commented, 'If you just release her to me, I'm sure I could fix her for you' (). The meme in Korea became, 'If she's pretty, she must be forgiven' ().

3The Impact of Digital Deception and Reality Check

The public's perception of Kim Soyong dramatically reversed after her unedited mugshot was released. The stark contrast between her online persona and reality led to widespread condemnation, not just for her crimes, but for her perceived 'ugliness' and extensive photo manipulation. This highlights the power of digital deception and the superficiality of online judgment.

After mugshots were released, comments shifted: 'I think they arrested the wrong person' (), 'This level of editing she does for her photos would bankrupt AI' (). People went from defending her to 'hating her because she's ugly in her mug shots' (). Netizens created a ranking of female killers, placing Soyong on the 'uglier side' ().

4Manipulative Victimhood Narrative from Prison

From prison, Kim Soyong attempted to manipulate public opinion by sending letters to journalists, portraying herself as a victim of childhood trauma and societal neglect. She used a self-pitying tone, often referencing past near-death experiences and expressing regret in a narcissistic manner, but failed to genuinely take responsibility for her actions.

Her letters included quotes like, 'I should have died just when my dad was beating me' () and 'I should have just been the victim and nothing more' (). She claimed she was 'scared of being essayed' () as a motive, despite evidence showing she initiated motel visits. The host notes her letters are 'so manipulative' () and 'nobody's buying it' ().

Bottom Line

The case reveals a vulnerability in South Korea's prescription drug oversight, allowing individuals to 'medical shop' for multiple strong medications without a centralized tracking system.

So What?

This loophole enabled Kim Soyong to amass a 'pharmaceutical toolkit' of antidepressants, sleeping pills, and sedatives, which she weaponized. Without better regulation, similar incidents could occur.

Impact

Implement a national, real-time prescription monitoring program to prevent 'medical shopping' and track controlled substances across different clinics and pharmacies.

The 'hunting bar' culture and running clubs in South Korea highlight a societal challenge in meeting people organically, leading singles to potentially riskier environments.

So What?

While these venues offer opportunities for connection in a highly structured society, they also create environments where individuals, like Soyong, can easily target strangers for nefarious purposes.

Impact

Develop safer, verified social networking platforms or community events that prioritize background checks and accountability, offering alternatives to anonymous 'hunting' environments.

Lessons

  • Exercise extreme caution when meeting strangers from online platforms or 'hunting bars,' especially when alcohol or private settings are involved.
  • Be wary of individuals who exhibit an unusual obsession with food, money, or who push for private encounters early in a relationship.
  • Recognize that online personas can be heavily manipulated; prioritize real-life interactions and observe consistent behavior over curated digital images.
  • If you suspect someone is attempting to drug you, seek immediate help and do not consume any drinks or food offered by them, especially if they are already prepared.

Notable Moments

A taxi driver recounts picking up Kim Soyong from a motel with two large bags of fried chicken, her 'chased' demeanor quickly shifting to relaxed, making him uncomfortable.

This early encounter provides a chilling foreshadowing of Soyong's detached nature and the bizarre circumstances surrounding her crimes, highlighting her obsession with food and lack of remorse.

Multiple men share bizarre dating experiences with the same woman, involving excessive spending, blatant lying, theft, and strange behavior, all before realizing she was a serial killer.

These anecdotes illustrate Soyong's consistent manipulative and exploitative patterns, setting the stage for the revelation that these 'bad dates' were with a dangerous individual.

Police discover a man dead in a motel room, drugged with a 'pharmaceutical cocktail,' and find a lengthy, overly detailed message from a woman on his phone attempting to explain her departure.

This message serves as a clear 'cover your ass' attempt, immediately raising suspicion and providing critical evidence of Soyong's involvement and her attempts to control the narrative.

The South Korean public's initial defense of Kim Soyong based on her 'pretty' Instagram photos, followed by a complete reversal of sentiment after her unedited mugshot was released.

This moment powerfully demonstrates the superficiality of online culture and how physical appearance, even if digitally fabricated, can disproportionately influence public perception and moral judgment.

Quotes

"

"If you really want to know what somebody is into, you follow them at night. You do not follow them throughout the day. Because during the day, we're all doing things that we don't really want to do, but we kind of have to do. But at night, that's usually when someone makes a choice."

Host
"

"This dose doesn't even kill them. They wake up and become even more of a nuisance to me."

Kim Soyong (from her journal)
"

"Would it be so bad to be pen pals with the motel killer? Hear me out. She's pretty. Normally, it's not easy to date someone that pretty. If she gets life in prison, maybe I could write letters, put some money in her commissary, visit her every now and then."

Netizen (online post)
"

"If you just release her to me, I'm sure I could fix her for you."

Netizen (online comment)
"

"I should have died just when my dad was beating me. I should have just died then. I should have self-exited."

Kim Soyong (from her prison letter)
"

"I just wish that I had ended up as nothing more than a victim. Then none of this would have blown up like this."

Kim Soyong (from her prison letter)
"

"The fact that she killed people over a few chicken dinners, not even millions of dollars, is disturbing."

Netizen (online comment)

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