Shadowing Practice: Army veteran buries Korean wife alive but her Apple watch saves her｜Young Sook An case - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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The thought of being trapped underground makes many of us uneasy.
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The thought of being trapped underground makes many of us uneasy.
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For some, it's a claustrophobia-inducing nightmare.
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For others, the mere thought of being buried alive is unthinkable.
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In the quiet town of Lacey,
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Washington, what started as a regular Sunday quickly turned into a shocking story of violence and survival.
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Let's delve into the chilling story of Young Sook An.
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On October 16, 2022, 9-1-1 received a call from an Apple Watch around 1 p.m.
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Man, what are you reporting?
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Hello?
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What's going on there?
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In the recording, we can clearly hear a distressed and muffled woman.
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According to the call log,
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dispatch heard sounds of a struggle and banging before the call ended,
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with the caller seemingly trying to communicate by frantically tapping buttons since she couldn't speak.
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Just hang tight, okay?
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My partner's getting help started to you. Can you hear me?
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I'm not going to hang up until help is with you, okay?
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Initially, it was difficult to determine the caller's location because she couldn't speak.
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Nonetheless, they were able to deduce it and locate the suburban neighborhood street using cell tower data.
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Lazy police were called to the address immediately.
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The police were fortunate.
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The Apple watch was still on the line.
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And they could hear the police car pulling up to one of the houses located at 3800 Rosberg Street Southeast.
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East.
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Despite announcing their approach loudly,
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the house was empty when the Lacey police arrived.
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However, signs of a disturbance were evident,
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an open front door and a wide open garage.
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Inside, they found the shattered remains of the Apple Watch that had dialed 911.
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but the collar was missing.
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Just shortly after, two young individuals arrived at the house.
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Crystal, age 20, and her 11-year-old brother claimed to be the children of the homeowner,
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42-year-old Korean woman, Youngsook-An.
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Crystal later explained to the authorities that she,
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her mother, and her brother had attended church that morning,
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as they regularly did on Sundays.
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Upon returning home, they noticed their father's minivan in the driveway.
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Nothing unusual since her parents were in the process of divorcing and her father typically visited once a week for personal matters.
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Crystal then told the police that her mother had asked her to take her brother
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and leave the house for a while so the adults could talk privately.
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Just after 1 p.m while driving back,
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Crystal received an automated emergency text from her mother's phone with a map to their house.
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When she returned, the minivan and her mother were gone,
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and the police were waiting outside.
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The police quickly realized that Chae Kyung-an,
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the father, had likely taken his wife Young hostage.
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They issued a missing person alert across Thurston and Pierce counties,
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and used social media to spread the word,
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hoping the public and other law enforcement would help find the light blue Dodge Grand minivan,
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Yang or Che.
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Sadly, the response was minimal at the time.
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So what led to this situation?
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Let's rewind for a moment and examine the family's background.
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Initially appearing ordinary, it's known that Chae Kyung-han had previously served in the military involved in intelligence work.
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Some speculated that his past service may have contributed to his sensitivity and stress.
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Moreover, the marriage between Chae Kyung-an and Young Sook-an was troubled.
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Reports indicate that Chae had a volatile temper and was not hesitant to express it towards his family,
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particularly his wife.
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Young confided in others that Chae had made repeated threats to harm her throughout their deteriorating marriage.
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Young had decided to leave him for her and her children's safety,
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unaware that his threats could soon become a terrifying reality.
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It started out as a typical October Sunday for the kids and their mom.
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Late that morning, they came home and found Che inside.
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After saying hello, Young asked Crystal to take her brother out for a bit
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so she and Che could talk about some adult matters.
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Specifically, they needed to discuss their divorce and how to split the finances.
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It's not clear how things escalated,
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but the conversation quickly turned into a heated argument.
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Young told Chae to leave because she couldn't handle the conflict anymore.
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As the argument got more intense, Chae got angry.
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After he stormed out, Young went upstairs to her bedroom to change.
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She was really tired from all the arguing and needed to recharge.
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But Chae wasn't done yet.
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He was still furious and seemed to have lost all reason.
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He stormed back into the house,
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burst into Young's bedroom, and started attacking her.
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He hit her repeatedly in the head and then threw her violently to the ground.
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Despite her efforts, Young couldn't match Che's strength,
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especially given his military background.
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Che kept attacking her and even threatened to kill her,
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rather than let her have any of his retirement savings.
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Che then tied Young's hands behind her back with duct tape.
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He also tied her ankles and thighs, making her completely immobile.
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He taped over her mouth and eyes,
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leaving her unable to see or speak to further restrict her.
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After a while, Chae parked his van outside and went back into the house.
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During this time, Young managed to slightly free one hand
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and used her Apple Watch to send emergency texts to her kids and call 911 one.
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Then Che dragged Young down the stairs and across the floor.
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This is when the muffled screams,
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thuds, and struggles were heard on the call.
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Che, who was an expert in intelligence,
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noticed the smart watch on her wrist.
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Not wanting to take any chances,
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he grabbed a hammer and smashed the watch and her wrists until it came off.
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What he didn't know was that the watch was still working and lying on the garage floor,
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which eventually helped the police locate the house.
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After Che put Young in the trunk of his van,
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he drove off, quickly passing a police vehicle.
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Inside the trunk, Young was blindfolded, gagged, and bound.
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Despite these challenges, she tried to open the trunk door with her toes during the nerve-wracking drive.
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Unfortunately, her efforts were in vain due to her restraints and lack of sight.
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Soon, the suburban scenery gave way to a dense, lush forest.
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Chae was unrelenting in his madness.
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When the van suddenly stopped in a clearing,
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he pulled Young out, tossed her on the ground,
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and then went back to get a shovel from the van.
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Young could only suppress her cries as Chae started to dig a hole nearby,
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clearly planning to bury her alive.
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After digging for a while,
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he stabbed Young in the breasts with a long, thin knife.
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He then threw her into the shallow pit and added insult to injury by throwing a heavy log on top of her,
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shouting that she would die.
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Despite everything, Young managed to slightly move her head to create a small air pocket to breathe.
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Unnoticed by Chae, he continued to pile dirt over her.
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And Chae left, expecting Young to suffocate and die beneath the earth from her wounds.
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However, the hole wasn't deep enough to suffocate her.
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It was only 19 inches deep.
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Although the weight of the wood and the dirt immobilized her, she remained alive.
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For about 19 hours, Young lay in the shallow grave,
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figuring out how to survive and escape.
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Eventually, Young managed to loosen the wrist restraints.
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She began to dig herself out,
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first freeing her hands and then pushing the dirt from her body and head.
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After a tremendous effort, she freed herself from the grave and tore off the duct tape from her eyes.
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Initially thinking she had been left in the forest,
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she was surprised to see Che's minivan still parked near the hole.
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Fueled by adrenaline, Young pushed the log off her,
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ran as fast as she could, and escaped.
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Back to the police and family,
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They were deeply concerned about Young's safety.
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They combed through every piece of evidence with the most compelling being numerous CCTV recordings from neighborhood doors and streets.
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One camera captured a man in a white t-shirt and dark shorts entering Young's garage,
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then driving a minivan inside.
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Shortly after, the same van was seen speeding away from the house,
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passing a police SUV, and heading south.
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Despite their efforts, the police found no trace of Yang that day.
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However, at around 1 a.m the following morning,
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they received a call from residents on Stedman Road,
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about six miles from Yang's home.
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The homeowners reported hearing noises and suspected someone was on their property.
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The police arrived and, using their headlights,
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spotted a figure crouching behind a shed in the front yard.
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The figure was quickly identified as Young Suk-an,
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recognized from the endangered missing persons alert.
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She was dirty, extremely agitated, and covered in blood.
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When Young realized the figure approaching was a police officer,
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she ran towards them, crying and shouting hysterically.
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She clung to the officer's arm,
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screaming that her husband was trying to kill her, and pleaded for protection.
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Young was immediately taken to the hospital,
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where her injuries were treated.
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Fortunately, they were not life-threatening.
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The search continued for Chae Kyung-han,
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the prime suspect in her attempted murder.
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The police didn't have to wait long.
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The next morning, around 7 a.m.,
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they received a tip about a suspicious vehicle parked a few hundred meters up the Chihali's western trail.
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Upon arrival, they found Che in the Dodge Grand minivan.
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It seemed he was searching for Young,
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likely shocked to find the grave empty.
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The police arrested him immediately.
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Che was charged with first-degree attempted murder,
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threats to kill, kidnapping, assault, and domestic abuse.
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Surprisingly, he pleaded not guilty to all charges except for domestic abuse.
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A preliminary hearing took place on October 19,
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2022, in Thurston County Superior Court.
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Young was unable to attend in person,
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so she sent a victim's advocate to read her statement.
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She asked the court to keep Choi in custody,
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expressing her fear for her safety and the trauma he had inflicted.
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Nathan Quarticrax, the court commissioner,
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found a probable cause for the charges against Che and decided not to grant bail.
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Additionally, Quarticrax ordered that Che must not contact Young or any other witnesses.
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Despite this, Che's public attorney requested that his bond be reduced to $150,000,
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arguing that it would be sufficient to ensure his detention.
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Che's defense attorney also argued that his client had committed the crime while struggling with mental health issues,
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including post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness,
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and isolation from family and friends,
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and pleaded for a lighter sentence.
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Chae himself said in his final statement,
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if I could go back to that day,
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I wouldn't have gone into the house.
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Ironically, these were the same issues that had led Young to seek a divorce,
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but they certainly did not excuse his actions,
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particularly the attempted murder that could have also traumatized their children.
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I told him to think about our children,
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and he said, I don't need anything.
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Today I'm gonna kill you.
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Before the sentencing the victim Young expressed since that day my children's and my lives have fallen apart
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I'm left to live with the mental shock and health issues for the rest of my life as she
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recalled the traumatic memories of the incident
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Young and the prosecution asked the judge for the maximum possible sentence After a thorough investigation and trial,
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Choi eventually pleaded guilty to the charges.
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Nearly a year and a half following his arrest,
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on April 22nd, 2024, Thurston County Superior Court handed down a verdict.
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According to court documents, Choi Kyung-han was convicted of one count of second-degree attempted murder and domestic abuse.
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At the sentencing, the judge decided to impose the maximum sentence allowed under Washington state's guidelines.
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The judge remarked, the crimes committed by the defendant were horrendous,
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and added, the physical pain and fear that Young experienced are beyond words.
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Young showed remarkable courage, and I hope she focuses on her emotional recovery and mental health treatment.
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Judge Mary Sue Wilson issued a sentence of 13 years in prison,
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followed by three years of community custody By the time he is released,
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Chae will be around 67 years old Hopefully too old to pose any further threat to Youngsook-An
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or others This case wraps up with Chae Kyung-An,
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locked up for his actions getting a lengthy sentence that reflects the severity of what he did.
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It is a stark reminder of the dangers of domestic violence,
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but it also showcases the incredible strength and bravery of Young Suk-An.
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She fought through an unimaginable situation,
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driven by her will to protect her kids and survive,
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which is truly inspiring.
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As we think about what's happened,
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we hope that Young and her kids can find some peace and healing after everything they've gone through.
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Hopefully they can move on to a safer and happier chapter in their lives.
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As for Che,
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maybe this time behind bars will give him a chance to really think about the consequences of his actions
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and the pain he's caused.
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Even though the legal side this case is done.
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It definitely keeps the conversation going about how to better protect and support those facing domestic violence,
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making sure they get help before things escalate.
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That's all for today.
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Thanks for watching.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will engage with a gripping real-life story that explores themes of survival, communication, and emergency situations. By analyzing the events surrounding the Young Sook An case, learners will practice their listening and comprehension skills while improving their speaking technique. This lesson will focus on incident-related dialogues, emotional expression, and the urgency of crisis situations. By shadowing the characters in the video, learners can enhance their English pronunciation and fluency.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Buried alive – This phrase expresses being trapped beneath soil or earth, a situation often considered desperate.
- Emergency – A critical and urgent situation requiring immediate action, often life-threatening.
- Distressed – A state of being very upset or anxious.
- Hostage – A person held captive to ensure certain demands are met.
- Dispatch – The act of sending authorities, like police or EMS, to a location in response to a call.
- Muffled voice – A sound that is unclear or quiet, typically due to obstacles or distance.
- Struggle – A vigorous effort or fight against something or someone.
- Locate – To find or identify the position of something or someone.
Practice Tips
To effectively enhance your English speaking skills, consider using the technique of shadowspeak while watching the YouTube video related to this case. The conversation tempo is moderate, allowing for clear pronunciation. Here are some tips for shadowing:
- Listen actively: Focus on understanding the nuances of the dialogue, including tone and emotion.
- Repeat phrases: After a speaker finishes a sentence, pause and repeat their words exactly as you hear them. This will help you improve your English pronunciation.
- Match the emotion: Pay attention to the emotional undertones in the characters' voices and try to replicate them in your shadowing practice.
- Use subtitles: If available, turn on English subtitles to support comprehension. This will also aid in verifying your pronunciation accuracy.
- Record yourself: Practice speaking along with the video and then listen to your recording to identify areas for improvement.
By immersing yourself in real-life scenarios like this one and practicing through shadowspeaks, you can significantly improve your English skills and communication abilities.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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