Who Is Kristina Sunshine Jung? Biography of George Jung’s Daughter

Kristina Sunshine Jung (born 1st of August 1978, Age: 45 years old) is the only child of the notorious American drug trafficker George Jung.

It is often said that you should make lemonade out of the lemons that life has given you, and one person that has done her best to abide by this principle is Kristina Sunshine Jung. Even before she was born, Jung had already gained notoriety due to her dad, George Jung, who spearheaded some of the biggest drug smuggling operations in the United States in the 80s.

This unfortunate situation will persist throughout her formative years as her father continued his drug dealings and eventually wound up in jail. It wasn’t an ideal way to grow up, but Kristina Sunshine Jung seems to have turned out all right. She also reconciled with the father that caused her so much heartache before his death.

Kristina Sunshine Jung is the Only Child of Notorious American Drug Trafficker George Jung

Kristina Sunshine Jung was born on the 1st of August 1978 in Los Angeles, California. Her nationality is American, while her ethnicity is Caucasian. Kristina Sunshine Jung has no other siblings on her paternal side as she is the only child born to the infamous drug lord, George Jung. The late George Jung was a native Bostonian and was born in 1942.

He had a pretty regular childhood and even harbored aspirations of going to college at some point.  His usage of marijuana, however, made him start selling them as well when he was in his 20s. In 1967, George Jung eventually grew so successful in his trade that he started ferrying drugs to the U.S. from Mexico. The long arm of the law then caught up with him, and he was jailed in 1974.

Prison time is supposed to be reformatory, but it was the opposite in George Jung’s case. He learned new trade tricks and cultivated the connection through which he became a prominent member of Pablo Escobar’s cartel. By the time he was out of jail, he had helped turn the Medellin cartel’s operations into one which generated billions of dollars each year in the 80s.

My #heart #KristinaSunshineJung #GeorgeJung pic.twitter.com/9ar3ytu2hI

— George Jung Official (@GeorgeJungOffi1) November 10, 2016

Her Mom, Mirtha Jung, and George Jung were Married From 1977 to 1984

Kristina Sunshine Jung’s mom is a poet and writer named Mirtha Jung. Mirtha is George Jung’s first wife and was born on the 3rd of December 1952 in Cuba. She grew up in places such as Cuba and Columbia, where she met George Jung. Mirtha Jung was about 24 years old when she first met George Jung in Colombia in 1976. They fell for each other and started dating.

They then got married the following year, which was 1977, and a year later, welcomed Kristina Sunshine Jung. When Kristina Sunshine Jung was born, her father was neck deep into the Medellin cartel operations and had become a millionaire. She, therefore, wanted for nothing as far as material things were concerned.

There was a snag, though; the pressures of her father’s drug dealings and the fact that he and her mom recreationally used some of the drugs that came their way strained the relations between them (i.e., her parents). This inevitably affected her, but her parents ambled along for some years before finally calling it quits in 1984.

Kristina Sunshine Jung Largely Grew up with Her Mom as Her Dad Was in Jail

Following the divorce, Kristina Sunshine Jung largely grew up with her mom and some of her extended family members, such as her aunty and her paternal grandparents – Frederick Jung and Ermine. Her father loved her greatly and tried to maintain an active presence in her life, but his drug dealings limited whatever time that they could spend together. Things later got worse after he was apprehended by the authorities in 1994 and sentenced to a 70-year jail term.

Kristina Sunshine Jung was 15 years old when her father was sentenced to Jail, which broke her heart. She, however, had to make the best out of the cards that life dealt her. She attended school like other regular kids and relied on the love of her mom and extended paternal relatives to get her going until she became an adult herself. She also avoided visiting her father in jail as she wanted to maintain a semblance of normalcy in her life.

Life after #20 years #GeorgeJung and #KristinaJung pic.twitter.com/Y8hYEG6iCt

— George Jung Official (@GeorgeJungOffi1) November 10, 2016

She Made Peace with Her Dad Before His Death

Despite all his failings as a man, Kristina Jung’s dad loved her. One of his biggest regrets was that she did not even visit him throughout his jail stay, and when he got out on parole in 2014, he started making efforts to reconcile with her. At this point, Kristina was already in her 30s and could have rebuffed such efforts, but she still valued a relationship with her dad and so responded warmly.

They exchanged calls after he got out of prison. They also hung out on several occasions, and her dad posted a photo of them together on Twitter in 2016 and captioned it, “My heart.” Though father and daughter were not one to parade their relationship for public scrutiny, one thing that is for sure is that George Jung reconciled with his daughter before his death in May 2021.

Cant live without my #heart #Jung #BostonGeorge #Blow pic.twitter.com/ctnN3ojLHF

— George Jung Official (@GeorgeJungOffi1) November 10, 2016

Kristina Sunshine Jung is an Entrepreneur and Runs an Apparel Line Under her Dad’s Name

Despite her less than ideal childhood, Kristina Sunshine Jung has grown into a decent human being. The California native is an entrepreneur and runs a clothing and apparel company named BG. BG likely stands for one of her father’s famous nicknames – Boston George. Kristina Sunshine Jung also has some movie-making experience and contributed to the making of the 2001 biopic about her dad titled Blow.

The movie featured the likes of Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, and Emma Roberts, and one of the key themes was the strained relationship between Kristina (portrayed by Emma Roberts) and her dad. It grossed $83.3 million on a budget of $53 million and received good reviews.

My daughter #Kristina with #JohnnyDepp who played me in the movie #Blow pic.twitter.com/uAq0pmw169

— George Jung Official (@GeorgeJungOffi1) November 10, 2016

She Lost Her Daughter in a Car Crash in 2021

Kristina Sunshine Jung presently resides in Santa Rosa, California, where she runs her business. She was previously married to a man named Romain Karan, and they had four children together, comprising two sons and two daughters. They divorced in the mid-2010s, and Kristina moved out with the children to Santa Rosa in 2016.

She has lived happily with them ever since, but they did experience a devastating heartbreak after her eldest child, daughter – Athena Karan, was killed in a car crash on the 16th of January 2021. The young girl was a passenger in a Honda Talon that suffered an accident, and she died on the spot. Athena was just 19 at her death, and the loss devastated her mother.

Kristina described her as a beautiful soul who loved her younger ones immensely. She also revealed that they had an amazing friendship and bond because Athena was the eldest child. She stated that she would miss Athena’s spirit and laughter and asked God for the strength to move on with a new life without her daughter in it.

Key Facts About Kristina Sunshine Jung

1. Who is Kristina Sunshine Jung?
   • Kristina Sunshine Jung is an American entrepreneur and lesser-known actress. She is widely recognized as the daughter of the late drug trafficker George Jung and his ex-wife, Mirtha Jung. Kristina runs a clothing business called BG Apparel and Merchandise, which she used to run with her late father.
2. Who are Kristina Jung’s parents?
   • Kristina Jung’s parents are George Jung and Mirtha Jung. George Jung, a renowned drug trafficker, passed away in 2021. Mirtha Jung was a drug addict but later cleaned up her life.
3. What is Kristina Jung’s relationship with her parents?
   • Kristina had a tumultuous relationship with her parents due to their involvement in drug trafficking. She was raised primarily by her grandparents and aunt. However, she reconciled with her father George Jung after his release from prison in 2014.
4. Was Kristina Jung’s life depicted in any films?
   • Yes, Kristina’s life, particularly her relationship with her father, was showcased in the 2001 movie “Blow.” Emma Roberts portrayed Kristina in the movie.
5. What is Kristina Jung’s occupation?
   • Kristina Jung is an entrepreneur and a lesser-known actor. She runs a clothing business called BG Apparel and Merchandise.
6. Is Kristina Jung working on any projects currently?
   • As of now, Kristina is reportedly working on a book about her mother Mirtha Jung, which is expected to be released soon.
7. Does Kristina have any children?
   • Kristina had a daughter named Athena Romina Karan who unfortunately passed away in a car accident in January 2021.
8. Who were Kristina Jung’s caregivers during her childhood?
   • During her troubled childhood, Kristina was primarily raised by her grandparents, Frederick and Ermine Jung, and later by her aunt Marie Jung.
9. What was Kristina’s relationship with her father like?
   • The relationship between Kristina and her father George Jung was depicted as strained in the movie “Blow.” However, they reconciled after George’s release from prison in 2014 and even ran a business together.
10. Who portrayed Kristina Jung in the movie “Blow”?
    • Actress Emma Roberts portrayed Kristina Jung in the 2001 movie “Blow.”
11. What is the name of Kristina’s clothing business and what is its history?
    • Kristina runs a clothing business named BG Apparel and Merchandise, which she initially started with her father, George Jung.
12. What is Kristina Jung’s net worth?
    • Kristina’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $150,000, primarily accumulated through her clothing business and acting career.