The Mysterious Death of Korean Streamer Byun Ah-young in Cambodia Resurfaces Amid Crime Wave Targeting Koreans
Amid a rising wave of crimes against South Koreans in Cambodia — including job scams and illegal detentions — the mysterious death of Korean streamer Byun Ah-young (known online as BJ Ayoung) has once again drawn public attention.
On June 6, 2023, the body of a woman in her 30s was discovered at a construction site in Kandal Province, near Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. The victim was identified as Byun Ah-young, a South Korean live streamer (BJ), whose body was found wrapped in a red cloth and dumped in a muddy pit.
Cambodian police arrested a Chinese couple, both in their 30s and running a local hospital, on charges of disposing of the body.
According to their statements, BJ Ayoung had “suddenly died” after receiving an antibody injection and treatment at their facility. Panicking, they decided to conceal and dump her body.
However, numerous suspicious details have raised doubts about their account. The victim’s body reportedly showed severe swelling and possible signs of assault. The couple’s conflicting testimonies further fueled allegations of torture — though police later said they could not confirm any major external injuries.
The case gained national attention in Korea after being featured on SBS’s investigative program I Want to Know That, which interviewed experts and Cambodian investigators.
According to The Chosun Daily, police at the time stated that the cause of death appeared to be asphyxiation, possibly linked to a drug reaction, and that “no evidence of torture or major injuries was found.” Toxicology tests were reportedly negative for narcotics.
Nonetheless, authorities suspected possible sexual assault, noting that “the victim was not wearing a bra and her underwear was reversed.”
The husband’s testimony to the SBS crew added more inconsistencies:
“She asked for an injection, but I didn’t inject her. She already had a needle mark on her arm,” he said.
He added, “When I didn’t give the injection, she just fell asleep. Then she started foaming at the mouth and lost consciousness. We tried emergency medicine and oxygen, but she died.”
Despite their claims of accidental or natural death, Cambodian prosecutors later charged the Chinese couple with murder, according to The Chosun Daily.
BJ Ayoung, once a well-known online personality with over 160,000 followers on AfreecaTV and 250,000 followers on Instagram, had announced her retirement shortly before traveling to Cambodia with an acquaintance on June 2, 2023.
Her death — coupled with the surge in crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia — prompted the South Korean government to tighten warnings and take stronger protective measures for citizens abroad.
