Former ‘fairy’ of Finkl, Sung Yu-ri, returned to broadcasting about four months after her husband, Ahn Seong-hyeon, was imprisoned, but public opinion remains cold. While there are some positive perspectives, the absence of an apology or explanation has led to significant negative reactions.
Sung Yu-ri officially resumed her activities through a home shopping channel on the 30th of last month with the ‘Sung Yu-ri Edition.’ The program, planned with a lifestyle edit shop concept, gained attention as Sung Yu-ri personally participated in the product lineup and launched a show under her own name.
However, shortly after the broadcast aired, a heated debate emerged in online communities and social media regarding the timing of her return. Ahn Seong-hyeon, Sung Yu-ri's husband, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison last December for accepting 2.3 billion won in bribes related to cryptocurrency listing. Following this, Sung Yu-ri suspended all broadcasting activities and maintained silence on social media.
Some netizens expressed discomfort regarding this return, saying, "Doesn't she think about the victims?" and "If this is a massive fraud case, there must be many victims, so returning as if nothing happened seems too soon."
On the other hand, some responses noted, "Husband’s issues are husband’s issues, and Sung Yu-ri is Sung Yu-ri," and "She is a mother raising twins, so it's understandable from the perspective of maintaining her livelihood." There are also evaluations that her return, combined with parenting and coming back with a brand she named herself, signifies a "responsible return."
Sung Yu-ri married businessman Ahn Seong-hyeon, a former professional golfer, in 2017, and after giving birth to twin daughters in 2022, she did not appear on broadcasting for a while. She briefly returned as the MC of KBS2's variety program 'Can Breakups Be Recalled?' but had to suspend her activities again due to Ahn Seong-hyeon's bribery case.
While there is a gradual return to activities, including posting promotional content on social media along with this home shopping broadcast, the lack of a public stance on her husband's case indicates that the controversy is unlikely to subside easily.
It remains to be seen whether Sung Yu-ri can prove her sincerity amid public criticism and regain the trust of the people.
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