As actress Hwang Jung-eum acknowledged allegations of embezzlement, attention is being drawn to the grants for her ongoing project ‘Because I’m Single.’

On the 15th, Hwang Jung-eum issued an official statement through her agency, Y1 Entertainment, saying, “First of all, I apologize for causing concern to many people with something shameful.”

Earlier this day, Director General Im Jae-nam of the Jeju District Court’s 2nd Criminal Division held the first trial session for Hwang Jung-eum’s case regarding violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment for Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement). According to the prosecution, Hwang Jung-eum is accused of embezzling approximately 4.3 billion won by taking 700 million won under the guise of an advance payment from funds borrowed by her agency in 2022 and investing it in cryptocurrency, among other accusations, until December 2022.

The victim agency has been identified as a family corporation wholly owned by Hwang Jung-eum, and it has emerged that she invested around 4.2 billion won of the embezzled amount in cryptocurrency. In this regard, Hwang Jung-eum acknowledged the prosecution’s charges on that day and requested continuation for repayment of the embezzled funds, which the court accepted.

As the news broke, attention began to focus on whether the editing of segments featuring actress Hwang Jung-eum in the entertainment program ‘Because I’m Single’ would occur.

Hwang Jung-eum is currently a fixed MC on the SBS Plus and T-Cast E Channel entertainment program ‘Because I’m Single.’ She has gained viewers' support by openly discussing her daily life with her two sons since her divorce, starting from Season 1. However, the controversy surrounding the ‘4.2 billion embezzlement allegation’ has caused complications just a week before the show’s conclusion.

Initially, the ‘Because I’m Single’ team told OSEN, “We are aware of the controversy regarding Ms. Hwang Jung-eum and are confirming the details with her agency,” adding, “The editing decision and future direction will be determined based on that response.” At that time, Hwang Jung-eum had not disclosed her position.

However, later that afternoon, Hwang Jung-eum acknowledged through her agency that she used company money for coin investments, stating, “I used the funds of the company I own 100% equity in for investments that I did not fully understand” and expressed, “My judgment was immature.”

Along with this, Hwang Jung-eum added, “No other celebrities or third parties have been harmed, and I have repaid a significant portion of the advances, while the remainder is being organized.” This emphasizes that, while acknowledging the embezzlement, it was not pursued for unlawful personal gains.

However, the show’s position that “the decision regarding editing will be made after receiving the agency’s response” leaves uncertainty about how it might change after Hwang Jung-eum’s apology and acknowledgment of the allegations.

There is also a possibility that Hwang Jung-eum may face ‘total editing’ or ‘dishonorable departure,’ while ‘Because I’m Single’ is set to conclude with its 20th episode on the 20th. Attention is focused on how the production team will handle Hwang Jung-eum’s last episode following the controversy.

[Photo] OSEN DB

[OSEN]