Actor Hwang Jung-eum, who boldly expressed her convictions in the face of divorce, is now facing 'humiliation' due to allegations of embezzlement. Her return to entertainment shows has been damaged, and the grants she participated in have been completely deleted. Hwang Jung-eum was in a position to do her best to settle her unreturned funds.
Hwang Jung-eum has recently shocked many by having been revealed to be on trial for allegedly embezzling approximately 4.34 billion won from her one-person management company, which she established as a family corporation. The corporation is one where Hwang Jung-eum owns 100% equity, and it is known that she had invested about 4.2 billion won of the embezzled amount in cryptocurrencies and incurred losses.
A representative of Hwang Jung-eum's current agency, Y1 Entertainment, noted on the 20th that, "While we cannot disclose specific amounts, Hwang Jung-eum has repaid a significant portion of the funds she withdrew in the form of advances from the former agency by liquidating personal assets," adding, "Procedures are also underway to settle some unpaid amounts, and we plan to finalize these processes with our best efforts."
According to a report from a media outlet that morning, Hwang Jung-eum has repaid approximately two-thirds of the embezzled amount to date, with the remaining repayment amount being about 1 billion won, and she has plans to repay it quickly.
Hwang Jung-eum is currently facing much criticism as news of her embezzlement has come to light. The public's interest, which had turned to admiration for her candid and assertive demeanor in front of her ex-husband Lee Young-don, has now shifted to disappointment. Notably, Hwang Jung-eum had made statements during her divorce about having more money than her ex-husband and was known to own significant assets, including a detached house worth approximately 4.6 billion won located in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
However, due to the embezzlement allegations, not only has the public's support for Hwang Jung-eum waned, but her image has also suffered significantly.
Especially, Hwang Jung-eum is on the verge of becoming an icon of 'nuisance' due to this controversy. The cable channel SBS Plus and T-Cast E Channel's entertainment program 'Solo Ra-seo,' which was her comeback piece after divorce and had gained attention for her candid remarks, is also expected to suffer damage. The production team of 'Solo Ra-seo,' which is nearing its ending, stated to OSEN, "There will be no VCR of Hwang Jung-eum in today's broadcast. We also plan to minimize the host's comments to keep it minimal on the broadcast."
As this controversy broke just before the final episode, today's broadcast is expected to focus more on the editing of Hwang Jung-eum rather than the conclusion of 'Solo Ra-seo' Season 2. Hwang Jung-eum, who has become a 'nuisance' to both the program and her colleagues who worked with the production team, has also had all advertisements related to 'Solo Ra-seo' and the recently released ad embodying the universe of 'High Kick Through the Roof' on the 12th completely deleted.
[Photo] Provided by OSEN DB, SBS Plus.
[OSEN]