South Korean actress Hwang Jung Eum's talent agency Y·ONE Entertainment confirmed on Jan. 8, 2026, that it terminated her exclusive contract in November 2025 following ongoing controversy surrounding her embezzlement conviction and unregistered entertainment company.
The agency officially notified Hwang of the contract termination on Nov. 27, 2025, marking the end of their professional relationship that began in July 2023.
Y·ONE Entertainment released a statement clarifying that it "bears no involvement or responsibility for the actress's current or future activities, personal matters, or any related issues" and would not issue further statements on the matter.
The termination comes as new allegations emerged that Hwang continues to operate Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, a family-run corporation she fully owns, without proper registration as a public entertainment management business, according to allkpop. As of Jan. 8, 2026, the company remained unregistered despite legal requirements under Korean law.
Hwang's legal troubles stem from a 2022 embezzlement case in which she was accused of misappropriating approximately 4.34 billion won ($3.1 million) from Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, a one-person agency with no other affiliated entertainers.
According to prosecutors, she borrowed 800 million won ($550,000) in the company's name in July 2022 and transferred 700 million won ($480,000) to her personal account under the pretense of an advance payment, investing the funds in cryptocurrency. By October 2022, she had moved approximately 4.2 billion won ($2.9 million) through 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 stock collateral loan interest, the Times of India reported.
In September 2025, the Jeju District Court found Hwang guilty of violating the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and sentenced her to two years in prison with a four-year suspended sentence.
The court considered her status as a first-time offender and noted that she had repaid the embezzled amount in two installments on May 30 and June 5, 2025. Neither Hwang nor the prosecution filed an appeal, and the sentence was finalized in October 2025.
Hwang Jung Eum, 41, first gained recognition as lead vocalist of K-pop girl group Sugar before transitioning to acting.
She became a household name through 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 emotional court ruling last September, Hwang apologized to reporters, saying, "I am sorry for causing concern. I had never even been near a police station, and I cried when I heard the verdict," as per chosun.
