South Korean actress Hwang Jung Eum’s talent agency Y·ONE Entertainment confirmed on January 8, 2026 that it had terminated her exclusive contract in November 2025 following the ongoing controversy over her embezzlement conviction and unregistered entertainment company.
The agency officially notified Hwang of his contract termination on November 27, 2025, marking the end of their professional relationship that began in July 2023.
Y·ONE Entertainment released a statement clarifying that it “has no involvement in or responsibility for the actress’s current or future activities, personal matters, or any related matters” and will not make any further statements on the matter.
The resolution comes as new allegations have surfaced that Hwang continues to operate Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, a family-owned company he fully owns, without proper registration as a public entertainment management company, according to reports. allkpop. As of January 8, 2026, the company has not been registered despite the legal requirements under Korean law.
Hwang’s legal troubles stem from a 2022 embezzlement case in which she was accused of embezzling approximately 4.34 billion won ($3.1 million) from Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, a one-man agency with no other affiliated artists.
According to prosecutors, in July 2022 he borrowed 800 million won ($550,000) in the name of the company and transferred 700 million won ($480,000) to his personal account under the guise of an advance payment, investing the funds in cryptocurrency. As of October 2022, it had moved around 4.2 billion won ($2.9 million) across 13 similar transactions.
The actress also allegedly used company funds to pay 4.44 million won ($3,000) in personal credit card bills and 1 million won ($700) in property taxes, local taxes and interest on stock loans. Times of India reported.
In September 2025, the Jeju District Court found Hwang guilty of violating the Law on Aggravated Punishment for Specific Economic Crimes and sentenced her to two years in prison with a four-year suspended sentence.
The court considered his status as a first-time offender and noted that he had repaid the embezzled amount in two installments, on May 30 and June 5, 2025. Neither Hwang nor the prosecution appealed, and the sentence was final in October 2025.
Hwang Jung Eum, 41, gained recognition as the lead singer of K-pop girl group Sugar before turning to acting.
She became a household name thanks to her role in the 2009 sitcom “High Kick Through the Roof” and later starred in popular dramas including “Secret Love” (2013), “Kill Me, Heal Me” (2015), “She Was Pretty” (2015) and “The Escape of the Seven” (2023-2024).
Following the court’s emotional ruling last September, Hwang apologized to reporters, saying: “I’m sorry for causing concern. I had never been even near a police station and I cried when I heard the verdict,” as per chosun.
