Yun Chi Chung is best known as the third wife of legendary comedian Redd Foxx, star of Sanford and Son. But her story is more than a footnote in someone else’s biography,  it’s about crossing cultures, briefly stepping into 1970s Hollywood’s spotlight, and then walking away from it for good. This article lays out what’s actually documented about Yun Chi Chung’s early life, her marriage, the divorce, and where she stands today while being upfront about which details are disputed or unverified.

Details Information
Full Name Yun Chi Chung
Also Known As Joi (nickname reportedly given by Redd Foxx)
Year of Birth 1942
Age Around 84 years (as of 2026)
Birthplace South Korea
Nationality Korean
Ethnicity Asian
Religion Not Publicly Known
Profession Private Individual
Famous For Being the third wife of comedian Redd Foxx
Ex-Husband Redd Foxx
Marriage Year Reportedly 1974 or 1976 (sources vary)
Divorce Reportedly finalized around 1981
Children None
Current Residence Not Publicly Confirmed
Marital Status Divorced
Net Worth Not Publicly Disclosed
Current Status Living a private life away from public attention (based on available information)

Who Is Yun Chi Chung?

Yun Chi Chung is a Korean-born woman who became a public figure only because of her marriage to Redd Foxx. Before meeting him, she wasn’t an actress, entertainer, or public personality of any kind she lived a quiet, private life, much like she has for the decades since their divorce. She was sometimes called Joi, a nickname Foxx reportedly gave her, and she’s remembered by those close to the couple as calm, artistic, and uninterested in fame for its own sake.

Early Life: Growing Up in Korea

Yun Chi Chung was born in Korea in 1942. Details about her childhood, family, and life before coming to the United States are scarce she never gave interviews or wrote a memoir, so most of what’s known about her comes from marriage records, old entertainment reporting, and secondhand accounts from people who knew the couple.

How Yun Chi Chung Met Redd Foxx

Accounts of how the couple met vary depending on the source. Several reports say she was working as a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas when Foxx, then one of the biggest names in stand-up comedy, was performing regular residency shows in the city. Foxx was drawn to her almost immediately, according to those accounts, and the two started dating not long after his split from second wife Betty Jean Harris.

Their Wedding at the Thunderbird Hotel

The record gets a little inconsistent here. Some sources say the couple married in 1974, while others point to December 31, 1976, at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. Most accounts agree on the location and that it was a fairly high-profile event given Foxx’s fame, but the exact year should be treated as unconfirmed rather than a settled fact.

Life as Redd Foxx’s Third Wife

Once married, Yun Chi Chung stepped into a very different life. The couple was seen together at major public events, including an appearance at Jimmy Carter’s inaugural festivities in January 1977. Their home was decorated in Korean style, with low tables and cushions instead of Western furniture, a detail multiple sources agree on, suggesting she stayed close to her roots even in the spotlight. She was known to be artistic. Foxx once spoke fondly of a painting she made of a bird on a tree branch, and she’s remembered as someone who introduced him to Korean food and culture.

Cultural Differences and Growing Tensions

Despite the early years looking happy, cracks started to show as the marriage went on, according to several accounts. Cultural and lifestyle differences are frequently cited as a source of friction, from food preferences (Chung is said to have preferred Korean dishes like kimchi, while Foxx preferred American food) to broader adjustments tied to language and background. Some accounts go further, describing serious allegations during the divorce process, including claims Chung made about mistreatment. These claims come from older reporting and haven’t been independently verified in detail, so they’re worth reading with some caution.

The Divorce: What Really Happened

Just like the wedding date, sources disagree on when the marriage officially ended. Some place the divorce filing around 1979, with the split finalized in 1981; others simply state the couple divorced in 1981, without much detail. What most sources agree on is that the marriage lasted only a few years and ended with a settlement, commonly cited as around $300,000  paid by Foxx. The divorce stemmed from a mix of incompatibility and cultural strain, according to the reporting available, though the full details were never made public in Chung’s own words.

Did Yun Chi Chung and Redd Foxx Have Children?

Yun Chi Chung

The couple did not have any children together during their marriage. Redd Foxx did have one adopted daughter, Debraca Denise, from an earlier marriage, but Yun Chi Chung and Foxx’s relationship didn’t produce any children of their own.

Life After the Divorce

After the split, Yun Chi Chung largely disappeared from public life. She gave no interviews, made no attempt to cash in on her connection to a famous ex-husband, and hasn’t turned up in tabloids or entertainment coverage since. Some reports speculate she returned to Korea, while others suggest she stayed in the United States, neither claim has solid confirmation behind it. Redd Foxx passed away on October 11, 1991, after suffering a heart attack. At the time, he was married to his fourth wife, Ka Ho Cho, also Korean-born, so Yun Chi Chung had no involvement in the events surrounding his death or estate.

Where Is Yun Chi Chung Now in 2026?

As of 2026, there’s no public record of Yun Chi Chung’s passing, and no confirmed information about her current whereabouts. She would be in her early-to-mid 80s today. True to the pattern she set decades ago, she has never resurfaced publicly, given a statement, or addressed her time with Redd Foxx in any documented way.

Common Misconceptions and Unverified Claims

A few things worth clarifying:

Marriage and divorce dates vary by source: some say 1974, others 1976 for the wedding; some say 1979, others 1981 for the divorce. Treat these as disputed rather than confirmed.

Her current location is unknown. Claims that she returned to Korea or is living under a different name are speculation, not verified fact.

She is sometimes referred to as Joi Yun Chi Chung in older articles, which can cause confusion in search results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Yun Chi Chung?

She’s a Korean-born woman best known as the third wife of comedian Redd Foxx, famous for his role in Sanford and Son.

When did Yun Chi Chung marry Redd Foxx?

Sources disagree, some say 1974, others say December 31, 1976, at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas.

Did Yun Chi Chung and Redd Foxx have children?

 No, the couple did not have any children together.

When did they divorce?

 Reports vary, placing the divorce filing around 1979 and the finalized split in 1981.

Why did they get divorced?

Reported reasons include cultural differences and general incompatibility, though full details were never shared publicly.

Where is Yun Chi Chung now?

 Her current whereabouts are unknown. She has stayed out of the public eye since her divorce, and there’s no confirmed information about her life today.

Is Yun Chi Chung still alive?

There’s no public record confirming her passing, so as of 2026, she is presumed to still be alive, though this isn’t officially confirmed.

Final Thoughts

Yun Chi Chung’s story is a reminder that not every name tied to a famous person comes with a fully documented history. Her brief but high-profile marriage to Redd Foxx placed her in the public eye for a few years in the 1970s, but she chose to step away from that attention completely once the marriage ended, and she’s kept that choice for more than 40 years.

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