A trend of copycat suicides followed, as 944 people jumped into the same crater over the following year.
A major allegation was the possibility of inducing copycat suicides.
Ministry officials said some of the children may have commited "copycat" suicides after a Japanese rock star hanged himself in May 1998.
In addition, research performed by David Phillips between 1947 to 1968 further supports the existence of copycat suicides.
Hence the term "Werther effect", used in the technical literature to designate copycat suicides.
Higher rates of copycat suicides have been found in those with similarities in race, age, and gender to the victim in the original report.
Other scholars have been less certain about whether copycat suicides truly happen or are selectively hyped.
Suicide Club, a 2002 Japanese horror film which revolves largely around a string of nationwide copycat suicides.
She said she learned that theories on copycat suicides were just that.
Choi's death resulted in a number of copycat suicides among Koreans, including celebrities.