"Actress Han So-hee's Mother Arrested on Charges of Operating 12 Illegal Gambling Sites"

Accused of Operating Game Centers in 12 Locations Including Ulsan and Wonju
Fraud Controversy Also Erupted in 2020

It has been reported that the mother of actress Han So-hee has been arrested on charges of operating an illegal gambling establishment.

On the 2nd, TV Chosun reported that the prosecution arrested Han So-hee's mother, Shin, on charges of opening an illegal gambling site. Shin is suspected of operating 12 gaming establishments in Ulsan, Wonju, and other locations from 2021 until the end of last month. At the illegal gambling sites opened by Shin, customers accessed gambling websites where she acted as a distributor, recharged game money, and played games such as baccarat.

Previously, in 2020, Shin was involved in a fraud controversy. At that time, an internet user claimed that Han So-hee's mother had disappeared with a communal fund. Shin borrowed 40 million won from an acquaintance, Mr. A, with Han So-hee as a joint guarantor, but failed to repay the debt on time. Mr. A then filed a civil lawsuit against Han So-hee, the joint guarantor, for the principal of 40 million won plus delayed damages. Regarding this case, the Ulsan District Court ruled in both the first and second trials that "this was an incident unrelated to Han So-hee."

At that time, Han So-hee explained, "My parents divorced when I was about five years old, and I was raised by my grandmother." She added, "Even after transferring to Ulsan, where my mother lived, upon entering high school, I continued to live with my grandmother, and after graduation, I moved to Seoul and started my career in this field." She further stated, "Since I did not have frequent contact with my mother, I only learned about her debts after I turned 20. As the daughter of the grandmother who raised me and by the ties of blood, I repaid my mother's debts as much as I could before my debut."

However, when a similar case occurred in 2022, Han So-hee's agency, 9ato Entertainment, stated, "Her mother used a bank account under Han So-hee's name during the process of borrowing money." They explained, "Her mother opened the account arbitrarily when Han So-hee was a minor and used the account (without Han So-hee's knowledge) to borrow money."

They added, "Han So-hee has no intention of taking responsibility for the related debts," and emphasized, "This is to fundamentally block a series of acts where her daughter's name is used to borrow money and to exploit the fact that her daughter is a famous celebrity to extort money." They also said, "It is true that the bond between mother and daughter cannot be severed," and expressed, "We apologize to those who have been inadvertently harmed, but we hope that through firm measures, such incidents will not be repeated."