Yun Chi Chung, also known as Joi Yun Chi Chung, became widely known as the third wife of legendary comedian Redd Foxx. She arrived in the United States from Korea, worked as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton, met Foxx during the height of his Sanford and Son fame, and married him on New Year’s Eve in 1976. Their glamorous beginning eventually turned into a difficult divorce that was finalized in 1981.
Unlike Foxx, Yun Chi did not build a career around television or Hollywood. After their marriage ended, she largely disappeared from public view. That privacy is important: reliable sources establish several details about her marriage, but very little about her later life, age, career after Foxx or current whereabouts.
Quick Bio of Yun Chi Chung
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Yun Chi Chung |
| Also Known As | Joi Yun Chi Chung |
| Born | Korea |
| Nationality/Background | Korean-born |
| Known For | Third wife of Redd Foxx |
| Work When She Met Foxx | Cocktail waitress |
| Workplace | Las Vegas Hilton |
| Husband | Redd Foxx |
| Wedding Date | December 31, 1976 |
| Wedding Place | Thunderbird Hotel, Las Vegas |
| Divorce Proceedings Began | 1979 |
| Divorce Finalized | 1981 |
| Children Together | None |
| Reported Divorce Settlement | $300,000 |
| Later Life | Largely private |
| Net Worth | Not reliably documented |
Her exact date of birth is not established in dependable public records. What is documented is that Foxx was about 20 years older than her when they were together.
Who Is Yun Chi Chung?
Yun Chi Chung entered American entertainment history because of a marriage that lasted only a few years.
But those years happened during a fascinating moment.
Redd Foxx was not an unknown comedian trying to get his first job.
He was already famous.
Sanford and Son had transformed him into one of America’s most recognizable television personalities.
Yun Chi therefore entered a world filled with television cameras, celebrity parties, money and constant attention.
That was very different from her own background.
Yun Chi Chung Came to America From Korea
Strong biographical sources describe Yun Chi as having recently arrived from Korea when she met Foxx in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, reliable sources reveal little about her childhood in Korea.
Her exact hometown is not firmly documented.
Neither are her parents, education or date of birth.
This is where many online biographies go wrong.
When information is missing, they fill the space with guesses.
Yun Chi’s documented story really begins in Las Vegas.
She Worked at the Las Vegas Hilton
When Yun Chi met Redd Foxx, she was working as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Las Vegas was an important city for Foxx.
Long before television made him a household name, nightclubs had been central to his career.
By the 1970s, he could move between Hollywood television and Las Vegas entertainment with ease.
Yun Chi was working inside that Las Vegas world when their paths crossed.
It was an unlikely meeting between a young immigrant employee and one of America’s best-known comedians.
How Did Yun Chi Chung Meet Redd Foxx?
Published accounts place their meeting in 1974 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Yun Chi was reportedly around 20 years younger than Foxx.
The relationship did not immediately become romantic.
A later account says Yun Chi explained that they became romantically involved only around six months before their wedding.
That distinction is interesting.
They may have known each other for considerably longer than they actually dated.
Then the relationship moved quickly toward marriage.
Redd Foxx Was Already a Television Superstar
To understand what Yun Chi was entering, it helps to understand Foxx’s career.
Born John Elroy Sanford in 1922, Foxx spent decades performing comedy before mainstream television audiences discovered him.
His comedy albums became famous for material considered too adult for ordinary radio.
Then television changed everything.
In 1972, Foxx began playing Fred G. Sanford on Sanford and Son.
The sitcom became a huge success.
His character was loud, stubborn, funny and endlessly inventive.
Foxx suddenly had millions of viewers.
Sanford and Son Changed Redd Foxx’s Life
Sanford and Son centered on Fred Sanford and his son Lamont, played by Demond Wilson.
The show became one of the defining American sitcoms of the 1970s.
Foxx’s exaggerated fake heart attacks became one of his signature comedy routines.
His television fame also gave him greater financial power and celebrity status.
Yun Chi met him right in the middle of that era.
When they married in December 1976, Sanford and Son was still on television.
This was peak Redd Foxx fame.
Yun Chi Was Not Redd Foxx’s First Wife
Foxx had already experienced two marriages before Yun Chi.
His first wife was Evelyn Killebrew.
They married in 1948 and divorced in 1951.
His second marriage was much longer.
In 1956, Foxx married dancer and showgirl Betty Jean Harris. He adopted her daughter Debraca, who took the Foxx surname.
Betty Jean and Foxx remained married for almost two decades.
Then their relationship collapsed.
Redd Foxx’s Second Divorce Was Difficult
Foxx and Betty Jean separated in the 1970s.
Their breakup became complicated by financial disagreements and legal disputes.
Foxx filed for divorce in 1974, citing incompatibility.
Not long afterward, Yun Chi was entering his life.
That timing meant she met a man who was both extremely successful professionally and coming out of a long, troubled marriage personally.
A few years later, she would become wife number three.
Yun Chi and Redd Foxx Married on New Year’s Eve
Yun Chi Chung married Redd Foxx on December 31, 1976.
The ceremony took place at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas.
IMDb likewise records their marriage beginning on December 31, 1976.
New Year’s Eve seems almost perfect for a Las Vegas celebrity wedding.
The city was full of lights.
Foxx was famous.
His new wife was young and elegant.
Photographs from early in the marriage show them appearing together at major public events.
For a moment, the future probably looked exciting.
They Appeared Together at Jimmy Carter’s Inauguration
Soon after marrying, Yun Chi accompanied Foxx to Washington, D.C.
Photographs document the couple attending events surrounding President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration in January 1977.
They were photographed together at the inaugural ball and during their arrival in Washington.
This is one of the reasons actual photographs of Yun Chi survive today.
She was briefly part of Foxx’s highly visible celebrity life.
The images show a stylish young couple arriving at important national events.
Behind the photographs, however, the marriage would soon become much more complicated.
Was Yun Chi Chung an Actress?
There is no strong evidence that Yun Chi Chung built a professional acting career.
This is an important correction because online biographies sometimes turn every celebrity spouse into an “actress” or “model” without evidence.
Reliable accounts identify her as a cocktail waitress when she met Foxx.
She became publicly recognizable through the marriage.
But she does not have a substantial established filmography.
So the safest description is straightforward:
Yun Chi Chung was a Korean-born woman who became Redd Foxx’s third wife.
Yun Chi and Redd Foxx Did Not Have Children
Foxx and Yun Chi had no children together.
In fact, Foxx had no known biological children.
During his marriage to Betty Jean Harris, he adopted her daughter Debraca.
Debraca therefore became Foxx’s daughter through adoption.
Yun Chi did not become the mother of another Foxx child.
This later became relevant during their divorce because Foxx publicly complained about the financial cost of failed marriages and said he would rather his money go to children.
The Marriage Began Falling Apart
The glamorous public appearances did not reflect everything happening privately.
Within only a few years, the marriage was in serious trouble.
Foxx filed for divorce in 1979.
His stated reason was incompatibility.
That word sounds simple.
The actual legal battle was not.
Yun Chi responded with allegations of her own.
The breakup quickly became public and contentious.
Yun Chi Made Serious Allegations During the Divorce
During the divorce proceedings, Yun Chi accused Foxx of cruelty.
Contemporary accounts summarized in later coverage say her attorney alleged that Foxx had physically threatened or assaulted her, including an allegation involving a gun.
These were allegations made during a disputed divorce, and they should be described that way rather than presented as independently proven facts.
Yun Chi sought legal protection.
Foxx, meanwhile, publicly avoided attacking her character.
He reportedly described her as a good woman while continuing to insist they were incompatible.
Foxx Publicly Blamed “Incompatibility”
Foxx’s public explanation was considerably less dramatic than the allegations appearing in court.
He described the problem as incompatibility.
He even made a joke about cultural differences in food.
The comedian contrasted his preference for Southern dishes with Yun Chi’s Korean food.
It was typical Redd Foxx.
Even during a serious divorce, he could turn the situation into a joke.
But the financial consequences were no joke at all.
When Was Yun Chi Chung’s Divorce Finalized?
Although Foxx initiated divorce proceedings in 1979, the marriage did not legally end immediately.
IMDb lists the divorce date as September 11, 1981.
Foxx’s established biography likewise says their divorce was finalized in 1981.
That means the legal marriage lasted from the final day of 1976 until 1981.
Their actual relationship had broken down earlier.
This distinction explains why some sources casually describe it as a roughly two- or three-year relationship while formal records show almost five years of marriage.
Yun Chi Reportedly Received a $300,000 Settlement
The divorce had a major financial consequence for Foxx.
Published biographical accounts state that he paid Yun Chi a $300,000 divorce settlement.
In 1981, that was a substantial amount of money.
It also became part of the larger story surrounding Foxx’s increasingly serious financial problems.
Foxx earned enormous sums during his career.
Yet money seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it arrived.
Taxes, management issues, spending and divorces all played roles.
Redd Foxx Became Frustrated With Marriage
The third divorce clearly affected Foxx.
During the proceedings, he told Jet that after three marriages he was finished with the idea.
He complained about losing money through divorce and suggested he would rather have children receive his wealth.
At that moment, Foxx apparently believed marriage was behind him.
Life had another surprise waiting.
About a decade later, he married for a fourth time.
Interestingly, his fourth wife also came from Korea.
Yun Chi Chung and Ka Ho Cho Were Different Women
This is one of the most important facts to clarify.
Yun Chi Chung and Ka Ho Cho were not the same person.
Foxx’s third wife was Yun Chi Chung.
His fourth wife was Ka Ho Cho, also known as Kaho Cho.
Both women were Korean-born.
Both were connected to Foxx through Las Vegas.
That similarity has caused confusion on many websites.
But the marriages happened a decade apart.
Foxx Met Ka Ho Cho Years Later
After divorcing Yun Chi, Foxx remained unmarried for years.
Then he met Ka Ho Cho at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1989.
By then, Foxx’s financial life was in serious trouble.
The IRS had seized assets.
His enormous earlier earnings had largely disappeared.
Ka Ho stayed with him through those problems.
Foxx eventually changed his mind about marriage.
They married in July 1991.
Redd Foxx’s Fourth Marriage Was Tragically Short
Foxx and Ka Ho had only a few months together as husband and wife.
In October 1991, Foxx was working on the sitcom The Royal Family.
During rehearsal, he collapsed.
At first, some people reportedly thought he was joking because fake heart attacks had been such a famous part of his Fred Sanford character.
This time it was real.
Foxx suffered a heart attack and died on October 11, 1991, at age 68.
Ka Ho was his widow.
Yun Chi had been divorced from him for a decade.
Foxx’s Financial Problems Became Part of His Legacy
Redd Foxx earned millions during his career.
Yet by his later years, his financial position was terrible.
He filed for bankruptcy in the 1980s, and tax problems followed him for years.
The $300,000 settlement from his divorce from Yun Chi was one piece of that complicated financial history.
It would be unfair to blame his problems solely on Yun Chi.
Foxx had a much broader pattern involving spending, taxes and financial management.
The divorce simply added another major expense.
What Happened to Yun Chi Chung After the Divorce?
This is probably the biggest mystery surrounding her.
Yun Chi largely disappeared from public entertainment coverage after divorcing Foxx.
There is no strong evidence that she pursued a Hollywood career.
There is no well-documented second celebrity marriage.
And dependable sources do not provide a detailed account of her later professional life.
This is one situation where privacy should be respected rather than filled with invented information.
The public record becomes extremely thin after 1981.
Did Yun Chi Chung Remarry?
There is no dependable mainstream source clearly documenting a later marriage.
Online relationship databases sometimes describe her as possibly single, but such databases should not be treated as proof of someone’s current private relationship status.
She may have remarried.
She may not have.
Without reliable evidence, neither answer should be presented as fact.
What is established is her marriage to Foxx.
Everything afterward was much more private.
Is Yun Chi Chung Still Alive?
There is no widely reported, authoritative record confirming Yun Chi Chung’s death.
That does not automatically mean she is alive today.
It simply means her current status is not reliably established in the public sources available.
This distinction matters.
Private people can disappear from news coverage for decades.
A lack of obituary is not proof of life, just as an unsourced website claiming someone died is not proof of death.
Her current status should therefore be described as private or unconfirmed.
How Old Is Yun Chi Chung?
Her exact date of birth is also not reliably established.
Foxx was born in 1922, and established accounts describe Yun Chi as approximately 20 years younger than him.
That gives a rough generational picture but not a verified birthday.
Some websites may provide exact ages without explaining where the information came from.
Those numbers should be treated cautiously.
For a private person like Yun Chi, it is better to admit what we do not know.
What Is Yun Chi Chung’s Net Worth?
There is no reliable public estimate of Yun Chi Chung’s current net worth.
We know that Foxx reportedly paid her a $300,000 divorce settlement.
But a settlement received in 1981 cannot tell us someone’s finances decades later.
We do not know how she invested or spent it.
We do not know her later earnings.
We do not know her assets.
Therefore, websites claiming a precise modern net worth are speculating unless they provide genuine financial records.
Why Is Yun Chi Chung Still Searched Today?
The answer is Redd Foxx.
Sanford and Son remains one of the most recognizable sitcoms of its era.
New viewers continue discovering Fred Sanford.
Then they learn about the man playing him.
Foxx’s real life was almost as dramatic as his comedy career.
There were four marriages.
Huge earnings.
Huge financial losses.
Legal disputes.
Tax problems.
And finally a real heart attack after years of pretending to have them on television.
Yun Chi belongs to the middle of that complicated personal story.
She Knew Foxx During a Major Career Transition
Yun Chi’s years with Foxx were particularly interesting because his career was changing.
When they married at the end of 1976, Sanford and Son was still running.
The show ended in 1977.
Foxx then launched other television projects and continued performing.
So Yun Chi experienced both the final stage of his biggest sitcom success and the uncertain period that followed.
Celebrity life can change quickly.
One year a performer has a giant weekly television audience.
The next year, he is trying to build something new.
Their marriage unfolded against that transition.
Yun Chi Chung’s Story Is Small but Important
Yun Chi does not have a long filmography.
She does not have dozens of interviews.
She did not write a famous memoir.
And there is little dependable information about her life after divorce.
Yet her story still matters when looking at Redd Foxx’s life.
She represents a particular period.
The height of his television fame.
The end of Sanford and Son.
His increasingly complicated finances.
And another marriage that began with glamorous public appearances but ended in court.
Sometimes a private person’s place in history is not measured by how famous they became.
It is measured by the story they were part of.
Final Thoughts
Yun Chi Chung remains one of the more mysterious people connected to Redd Foxx.
She came to the United States from Korea and was working as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton when she met the famous comedian. Foxx was about 20 years older and already one of television’s biggest stars.
They married at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas on December 31, 1976. Soon afterward, they appeared together at prominent events in Washington during Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.
But the marriage deteriorated.
Foxx filed for divorce in 1979, citing incompatibility. Yun Chi responded with allegations of cruelty, and the legal dispute became contentious. Their divorce was finalized in 1981, with Foxx reportedly paying a $300,000 settlement.
They had no children together.
Foxx eventually married another Korean-born woman, Ka Ho Cho, in 1991, only months before his death.
Yun Chi chose a very different path.
After leaving Foxx, she largely left celebrity attention behind as well.
Her later relationships, career, exact age, current status and personal finances are not reliably documented.
That privacy leaves many unanswered questions.
But the part we can verify already tells an intriguing story: a young Korean immigrant working in Las Vegas met one of America’s most famous comedians, became his third wife at the height of his television success, experienced a difficult and expensive divorce, and then quietly stepped away from the spotlight.
FAQs About Yun Chi Chung
Who is Yun Chi Chung?
Yun Chi Chung, also known as Joi Yun Chi Chung, is the Korean-born third wife of comedian and Sanford and Son star Redd Foxx.
Where was Yun Chi Chung born?
Reliable accounts say she came to the United States from Korea, but her precise birthplace is not firmly established in strong public sources.
How did Yun Chi Chung meet Redd Foxx?
They met in Las Vegas while Yun Chi was working as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton.
When did Yun Chi Chung marry Redd Foxx?
They married on December 31, 1976, at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas.
Was Yun Chi Chung Redd Foxx’s first wife?
No. She was his third wife. His first two wives were Evelyn Killebrew and Betty Jean Harris.
Did Yun Chi Chung and Redd Foxx have children?
No. They did not have children together. Foxx had an adopted daughter, Debraca, from his marriage to Betty Jean Harris.
When did Yun Chi Chung and Redd Foxx divorce?
Foxx began divorce proceedings in 1979, and the divorce was finalized in 1981. IMDb lists September 11, 1981, as the formal date.
Why did Redd Foxx divorce Yun Chi Chung?
Foxx cited incompatibility. Yun Chi responded with allegations of cruelty during the contested proceedings. Those accusations should be understood as claims made during the divorce rather than treated as independently established facts.
How much did Yun Chi Chung receive in the divorce?
Published accounts report that Foxx paid her a settlement of approximately $300,000.
Was Yun Chi Chung an actress?
There is no strong evidence of a substantial acting career. Reliable sources identify her as a cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Hilton when she met Foxx.
Is Yun Chi Chung the same person as Ka Ho Cho?
No. Yun Chi Chung was Foxx’s third wife. Ka Ho Cho was his fourth and final wife, whom he married in 1991.
What happened to Yun Chi Chung after divorcing Redd Foxx?
She largely withdrew from public attention. Reliable sources do not provide a detailed account of her later career, relationships or whereabouts.
Is Yun Chi Chung still alive?
Her present status is not reliably established by authoritative public sources. There is no strong basis for confidently stating either that she is living or that she has died.
What is Yun Chi Chung’s net worth?
Her personal net worth is unknown. The reported $300,000 divorce settlement from 1981 does not establish her later or current financial position.
When did Redd Foxx die?
Redd Foxx died on October 11, 1991, after suffering a heart attack while working on The Royal Family. He was 68.
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