According to Star News on January 23, Hwang Jung Eum’s agency, Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, completed its official registration as a pop culture and arts business on January 22. This comes 13 years after the company was initially founded in July 2013. The agency is entirely owned by Hwang Jung Eum, who is listed as CEO, while her mother is registered as an executive director.
Under current South Korean law, all companies operating in the entertainment sector must be registered with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism through local government offices. Failing to do so can result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to ₩20 million.
Hwang had previously terminated her exclusive contract with Y.ONE Entertainment in November 2025 after the embezzlement scandal came to light. Since then, she appears to have been laying the groundwork for a fresh start under her own agency.
However, controversy emerged earlier this month when it was revealed that Hunminjeongeum Entertainment had been operating without proper registration, violating the 2014 law regulating entertainment businesses. In response, Hwang issued a public statement on January 9, explaining that her agency had not directly managed her entertainment activities, as those services were outsourced to her previous agency, Y.ONE Entertainment. Therefore, she had not believed separate registration was necessary.
She added that recent attention on other celebrity-run agencies operating without proper registration prompted her to take legal action for compliance. She began the registration process in November 2025 and personally completed the required training on November 5, 2025.
Clarifying the nature of the registration, Hwang noted that it is not a licensing or approval process, but rather a submission of necessary documents such as a registration form and proof of online course completion. She expressed remorse, stating, “This situation is entirely due to my own shortcomings. I sincerely ask for understanding from my fans.”
Hwang Jung Eum had previously been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for four years, for embezzling ₩4.3 billion through her company. She transferred funds from a corporate loan into her personal account across 13 transactions. Reports revealed that ₩4.2 billion was invested into cryptocurrency. During the trial, she admitted to all charges and repaid the full amount in two installments in May and June 2025.
Now, with her agency officially registered and her legal issues resolved, industry insiders speculate that Hwang Jung Eum may be quietly preparing to return to acting a comeback that would mark a dramatic chapter in her career.
Sources: Nate
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