Hyejeong Choi

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Hyejeong Choi

Birth
South Korea
Death
16 Apr 2014 (aged 23)
At Sea
Burial
Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Choi Hyejeong was born on November 26, 1990. She was the teacher for the 10th grade class #9 at Danwon High School in Ansan, South Korea. She lived for 23 years, 4 months and 21 days.

Hyejeong graduated from the Dongguk University, College of Education with a major in history. She went back a second time and majored in English literature. She was a warm, caring teacher who adored her students. She stayed with them until the very end.

Hyejeong was a victim of the Sewol Ferry tragedy. The ferry Sewol was en route to Jeju Island from Incheon, South Korea, when it capsized on April 16, 2014. The majority of the 476 people on board were 10th graders from Danwon High School who were traveling to Jeju Island for a school field trip. When the ship started to sink, the crew ordered everyone to stay in their cabins and await help. Hyejeong and most of the Danwon faculty on board obeyed the crew and remained in their cabins with their students, who passed the time by taking pictures and joking around with their friends. However, the coast guard only rescued those who'd come out on deck and didn't even attempt to rescue anyone inside the ship. The Korean government, ashamed at how the event unfolded, blocked volunteer rescuers and made excuses as to why rescue efforts could not continue. By the time they started recovery efforts, they were only finding bodies. There were hundreds of high schoolers, teachers and other passengers inside the ship and not a single one of them survived. The majority of them were still alive during the three hours it took for the Sewol to sink, recording videos of their ordeal and banging on the windows, begging to be saved - but they all eventually drowned or died of hypothermia. Those kids had trusted adults with their lives and were literally left to die. 304 people died in total, with 250 of them being Danwon High School students. The Sewol Ferry sinking was one of the most heartbreaking and senseless maritime tragedies to have ever happened. The victims' loved ones are still looking for answers as to why those 304 innocent people, especially 250 children, had to die…and those answers may never come.

Hyejeong's body was recovered, and she is now resting at the Hwaseong Sky Memorial Park.

Thank you to Brenda for sponsoring Hyejeong's memorial!
Choi Hyejeong was born on November 26, 1990. She was the teacher for the 10th grade class #9 at Danwon High School in Ansan, South Korea. She lived for 23 years, 4 months and 21 days.

Hyejeong graduated from the Dongguk University, College of Education with a major in history. She went back a second time and majored in English literature. She was a warm, caring teacher who adored her students. She stayed with them until the very end.

Hyejeong was a victim of the Sewol Ferry tragedy. The ferry Sewol was en route to Jeju Island from Incheon, South Korea, when it capsized on April 16, 2014. The majority of the 476 people on board were 10th graders from Danwon High School who were traveling to Jeju Island for a school field trip. When the ship started to sink, the crew ordered everyone to stay in their cabins and await help. Hyejeong and most of the Danwon faculty on board obeyed the crew and remained in their cabins with their students, who passed the time by taking pictures and joking around with their friends. However, the coast guard only rescued those who'd come out on deck and didn't even attempt to rescue anyone inside the ship. The Korean government, ashamed at how the event unfolded, blocked volunteer rescuers and made excuses as to why rescue efforts could not continue. By the time they started recovery efforts, they were only finding bodies. There were hundreds of high schoolers, teachers and other passengers inside the ship and not a single one of them survived. The majority of them were still alive during the three hours it took for the Sewol to sink, recording videos of their ordeal and banging on the windows, begging to be saved - but they all eventually drowned or died of hypothermia. Those kids had trusted adults with their lives and were literally left to die. 304 people died in total, with 250 of them being Danwon High School students. The Sewol Ferry sinking was one of the most heartbreaking and senseless maritime tragedies to have ever happened. The victims' loved ones are still looking for answers as to why those 304 innocent people, especially 250 children, had to die…and those answers may never come.

Hyejeong's body was recovered, and she is now resting at the Hwaseong Sky Memorial Park.

Thank you to Brenda for sponsoring Hyejeong's memorial!