On May 19, Hwang Jung Eum uploaded the first video to her newly launched official channel, sharing updates about her recent life and honest thoughts about the difficult period she experienced. Appearing somewhat nervous in front of the camera for the first time in a long while, the actress reflected on the past year.

 She said, “There was a major issue that many people already know about, and I spent all my time trying to deal with it. The past year felt like a single month.” She continued, “I tried my best to take responsibility on my end so that no one would suffer damage because of me.”

Hwang Jung Eum also directly addressed the issue of advertisement penalty fees, which had drawn significant public attention during the controversy. She stated clearly, “I paid back all the penalty fees.”

The actress then bowed her head in apology, saying, “Just because I compensated financially doesn’t mean my mistakes are erased, and I feel deeply sorry. I can’t even describe how upset I feel for causing harm to production staff, advertisers, and fans because of my actions.”

Born in 1985, the actress is currently 41 years old. Last year, she received a suspended prison sentence of two years with four years probation after being accused of embezzling approximately 4.3 billion KRW from an agency in which she held shares and investing the money into cryptocurrency. Although she later repaid the full amount, reports recently surfaced stating that her standalone house in Itaewon had been placed under provisional seizure.

At the same time, Hwang Jung Eum also finalized her divorce from former professional golfer and businessman Lee Young Don after nine years of marriage, marking another painful chapter in her personal life.

The actress confessed that she sometimes feared she might never be able to return as an actress again. However, she said her children gave her the strength to endure the difficult period. 

Hwang Jung Eum shared, “My marriage was so unhappy that I didn’t think these recent events represented the unhappiness of my entire life.” She added calmly that compared to the divorce process, the current controversy was at least something she personally had to take responsibility for and resolve herself.

The actress also appeared willing to accept public criticism directed toward her. While speaking, she briefly struggled to hide her emotional expression before regaining composure and saying with a smile, “I don’t think there’s really a need to cry. If tears come, I’ll just smile instead.”

Looking ahead, Hwang Jung Eum explained that she hopes to use her personal channel to comfort single parents and working mothers who may also be struggling through difficult times. Through the channel introduction, she additionally promised to live responsibly moving forward rather than making excuses for her past actions.

Sources: Nate