Hwang Jung-eum, an actress who rose to fame as a member of the group Sugar, is accused of misappropriating roughly 4.3 billion won from company resources. As a result, she is confronted with a potential three-year incarceration.

Legal sources revealed on the 21st that during the concluding trial concerning Hwang's violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement), the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office requested a prison term of three years. This trial took place in the Jeju District Court's Criminal Division 2, presided over by Judge Lim Jae-nam.

Hwang is on trial for allegedly embezzling around 4.34 billion won from company funds. This includes approximately 700 million won obtained through loans by Hunminjeongeum Entertainment, which she invested in cryptocurrency under the pretense of advance payments at the start of 2022.

Reports indicate that she invested approximately 4.2 billion won of the misappropriated funds into cryptocurrency, with the remaining amount allocated to property and local taxes, among other expenses.

The company implicated is a family-run business where Hwang holds complete ownership, and she is the only artist represented by this agency.

Hwang's legal team has acknowledged all the charges against her. By June 5, she reportedly reimbursed the advance payments taken from Hunminjeongeum Entertainment and submitted relevant documentation to the Jeju District Court.

In a plea for leniency, Hwang's representatives argued, "The defendant's intention was to grow the company through her investments. Her lack of knowledge in accounting and procedural matters led her to believe that repaying the funds would rectify the situation, resulting in the crime. There are no other victims, and the full amount has been repaid, so we request favorable consideration."

The court has scheduled Hwang's sentencing to occur at 10 a.m. on the 25th of the next month.