Han So Hee has been in the news lately for her mother’s arrest for operating illegal gambling dens.
For those unversed, this is not the first time Shin, her mother, has been involved in illegal unethical activities.
Han So Hee Mother’s Gambling Arrest
Shin was arrested on charges of operating multiple illegal gambling facilities, according to a report by TV Chosun on September 2. The report states that Shin managed 12 gaming rooms in various locations, including Ulsan and Wonju, from 2021 until last month. These rooms offered games like baccarat, and customers were charged game money to play.
As stated earlier, this is not her first offense, as she had previously been fined for the same charge and has a record of fraud.
In response, 9ato Entertainment issued a statement clarifying that the incident is unrelated to Han So Hee and is solely the result of her mother’s actions. The agency revealed that the Gyeongseong Creature actress found out about illegal gambling establishments through a news article.
Continuous Financial Exploitation by Han So Hee’s Mother
On September 3, YouTuber Lee Jin-ho, a former entertainment reporter, reported that Han So Hee was raised by her maternal grandmother after her parents’ divorce. She began supporting herself through part-time jobs and modeling in Seoul.
Her mother, Shin, learned of her daughter’s newfound income and started asking for financial help, claiming she was struggling. Han So-hee initially sent her small amounts of money. However, Lee Jin-ho alleged that Shin squandered the funds and continued to swindle money, even borrowing from others using So Hee’s name.
Despite her efforts to stop her mother’s scams, they persisted. Lee Jin-ho also claimed that Shin was aware of her exact payment schedule and would often request loans from her daughter on those days.
In March 2022, Han So Hee issued a stern statement, declaring that she would not take responsibility for her mother’s debts and severed ties with Shin. This followed after her mother was reportedly sued for fraud worth millions of won.
Her mother had opened an account in Han So Hee’s name. As a result, Han So Hee was sued for allegedly violating the Electronic Financial Transactions Act.
In July 2020, she addressed reports that her mother had taken loans using her name, explaining that she had been estranged from her mother and only learned about the debts after turning 20. Despite this, Han So Hee tried to repay her mother’s debts to the best of her ability before her debut.