Actress Hwang Jung-eum's suspended prison sentence for embezzlement has been finalized after she chose not to appeal.

According to legal officials, neither Hwang nor the prosecution filed an appeal by October 2, the final date to do so. Under Korean criminal procedure, appeals must be submitted within seven days of sentencing to request a retrial.

Sentence Finalized After No Appeal

On September 25, the Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Judge Im Jae-nam presiding) sentenced Hwang to two years in prison, suspended for four years, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (Embezzlement).

The court stated, "The defendant embezzled company funds and used them for personal investments and purchases. Although the crime is not minor, the court took into account that the full amount was repaid and that there were no remaining victims."

Details of the Case

In July 2022, Hwang transferred 700 million KRW from Hunminjeongeum Entertainment's loan funds into her personal account under the pretext of an advance payment, later investing the money in cryptocurrency.

Between July and October that year, she embezzled a total of 4.34 billion KRW (approx. $3.1 million) — around 4.2 billion KRW of which was used for crypto investments. The remaining funds reportedly went toward paying property and local taxes.

Repayment and Reflection

Hwang repaid the full amount across two installments, on May 30 and June 5 of this year. At the time, a representative from her agency stated, "She lacked sufficient tax and accounting knowledge and is deeply remorseful for her actions."

With both sides opting not to appeal, Hwang Jung-eum's two-year prison sentence with a four-year suspension is now legally confirmed, marking the conclusion of the high-profile embezzlement case.