A Kind Korean Teacher... The Tragic Death of a Japanese Instructor

Satton Passed Away in the Early Morning of the 31st Last Month

The news of the passing of Satton (real name Satomi Yamanishi), a 'Korean language influencer' who gained popularity through videos teaching Korean on Instagram and TikTok, has saddened her fans. Japanese media outlets such as Daily Sports also reported Satton's death on the same day.

Satton's younger brother announced on Satton's official Instagram on the 4th, saying, "We have sad news to share with everyone who always supported my sister," revealing that Satton passed away in the early hours of the 31st of last month.

The "Korean Language Influencer" Satton (real name Satomi Yamanishi), who gained popularity by explaining Korean and Korea through Instagram and TikTok, has passed away. Photo captured from Satton's Instagram (@satton_korean101)

Born in 1994, Satton was an influencer with 260,000 followers on Instagram and 240,000 followers on TikTok. Her videos, which always started with a bright smile and the greeting "Annyeong~ (Hello)!", were very popular.

On the same day, Satton's brother wrote on Instagram in both Japanese and Korean, "My sister Satton was unconscious for about a month following a traffic accident last month. Our family stayed by her side every day, providing care as much as possible, but she quietly passed away at 12:06 a.m. on October 31."

Satton had been battling after a motorcycle accident in Bangkok, Thailand, on the 6th of last month. On the 8th of last month, her brother posted on Instagram, "My sister had a motorcycle accident in Thailand and is currently unconscious. It is expected that this condition will continue. To avoid causing any trouble to those supporting her, we will be suspending all of her activities on Instagram and other platforms."

Satton was born to a Korean mother and a Japanese father. Holding Japanese nationality, she had been living in Korea for eight years and taught everyday Korean through social media (SNS).

She had 270,000 followers on Instagram and 240,000 followers on TikTok, gaining popularity among fans in both Korea and Japan. In particular, her video addressing the differences in eating habits between Korea and Japan recorded nearly 20 million views.