On January 8, Y.ONE Entertainment released an official statement explaining that they notified Hwang Jung Eum of contract termination on November 27, 2025 and that the notice was accepted, meaning that the exclusive contract between both parties had already ended. The agency stressed that it has no involvement or responsibility for Hwang Jung Eum’s current or future activities, personal matters or any related disputes, adding that it will not make any further statements or responses in the matter.
This clarification comes amid growing controversy surrounding Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, a family-owned company wholly owned by Hwang Jung Eum. The company was accused of operating without proper registration as a public entertainment management company, a requirement under Korean law. As of January 8, the company was reportedly still not registered, further fueling public scrutiny.
The situation follows Hwang Jung Eum’s previous legal troubles. In 2022, it would receive ₩700 million of company funds as an upfront payment and invest the money in cryptocurrency. Investigations later revealed that in over 13 transactions, approximately ₩4.34 billion of company funds were transferred to his personal account, with approximately ₩4.2 billion used for cryptocurrency investments and personal credit card spending. As a result, she was charged and subsequently sentenced in the first trial to two years in prison, suspended for four years.
When questions arose about how his personal agency continued to operate without proper registration, Y.ONE Entertainment was long perceived by the public as his management company stepping forward to reiterate that their contractual relationship had already ended.
Stating it firmly has no ties to Hwang Jung EumY.ONE Entertainment has adopted what many see as an unusually direct and public positioneffectively distancing themselves from the actress as the controversy continues to unfold.
Sources: Daum
