In Gwangju in 2016... Cause of Death: Heart Failure and Hypertension
Back in the Spotlight as a Netflix Original Series
'Surinam Drug Lord' Jo Bong-haeng was confirmed to have died in 2016 due to an underlying illness. The photo is a poster of the Netflix drama 'Surinam'. Photo by Netflix
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] It has been belatedly revealed that Jo Bonghaeng, known as the real-life drug lord in Netflix's popular original series Suriname, actually passed away six years ago.
On the 17th, Channel A reported that investigative agencies confirmed Jo Bonghaeng's death from illness.
Born in 1952, Jo Bonghaeng acquired Suriname nationality in 1995 and lived in Suriname from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization. By partnering with the largest drug cartel in South America, he was able to rapidly expand his drug business and also formed close ties with high-ranking military, government, and political figures in Suriname.
Later, he posed as a successful mineral businessman and lured local Korean expatriates by promising rewards if they transported jewels (drugs) from South America to Europe. Consequently, ordinary housewives and university students unknowingly became drug couriers and ended up being arrested or detained.
Eventually, Jo Bonghaeng became such a major figure in the drug world that he was placed on Interpol's wanted list in 2005. As a result, the National Intelligence Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Brazilian police conducted a joint operation, leading to his arrest at S?o Paulo International Airport in Brazil in 2009. He was then extradited to South Korea and sentenced in 2011 to 10 years in prison and fined 100 million won.
Afterward, Jo Bonghaeng's whereabouts were unknown, sparking rumors that he returned to Suriname after serving his sentence and was living a luxurious life with the money earned from drug trafficking. However, Channel A's investigation revealed that this was not true.
While incarcerated at Haenam Prison, Jo Bonghaeng's underlying conditions such as heart failure and hypertension worsened, and in 2016, he was granted a suspension of sentence. After his release, he was hospitalized at a university hospital in Gwangju Metropolitan City, where he died on April 19 of the same year. In Netflix's Suriname, the character "Jeon Yohwan," played by actor Hwang Jungmin, is based on Jo Bonghaeng.
Meanwhile, aside from the drama's popularity, controversies surrounding Netflix's Suriname continue.
On the 13th, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Venezuela issued a "Safety Notice for the Korean Community in Suriname," stating, "We assume that Koreans residing in Suriname are very distressed due to the airing of the drama Suriname," and added, "We are most concerned about the safety of the Korean community and will do our best to ensure your well-being."
Prior to this, the Suriname government announced its intention to take legal action against Netflix and the production team. A Suriname government official strongly criticized, "Suriname has long had a bad image as a drug transit country, but that is no longer the case," and added, "We have been working to improve the country's image, but the drama is once again portraying Suriname negatively."
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