Mother of Prominent Korean Actress Avoids Jail Time in Gambling Case

The mother of TV star and model was given a after the older woman was accused of illegal gambling in Korea.

The 55-year-old defendant allegedly ran seven illegal gambling sites, according to news reports. Five were located in Wonju, as well as one in Ulsan and Gyeongju, South Gyeongsang province. Among the games offered was .

A Chuncheon District Court judge recently handed down the one-year sentence in prison, but with a two-year suspension, the report said. The woman also must perform 120 hours of community service under the sentence.

, who are seeking more serious penalties, filed an appeal following Judge Kim Do-hyung’s ruling, according to the Korea Times.

Initially, prosecutors wanted the woman to be sentenced to 18 months in prison. The suspended sentence was described by prosecutors as being “unduly lenient,” according to the Korea Times.

The gambling sites were operated between January 2022 and August 2023.

Although the exact profits she gained are not clearly detailed in the records, the structure of the operations and profit-sharing arrangements indicate that the amount is likely substantial,” the judge reportedly has said.

The defendant was released from custody after the judge’s ruling. She initially was apprehended in September.

She was fined 5 million won (US$3,800) in 2023 for similar violations, but kept on operating the gambling sites, the Korea Times reported.

The defendant wasn’t identified in local media reports. The Korea Times just named the woman in news accounts by the letter “A.”

The defendant’s well-known daughter, Han So-hee, wasn’t involved in the operation and was never charged.

A spokesperson for Han So-hee issued a statement that said in part, “This case is entirely unrelated to the actress and stems from her mother’s personal actions.”

The incident was described by the celebrity’s spokesperson as a “private matter.”

Han So-hee, 31, has appeared in several prominent Korean television programs. They include lead roles in The World of the Married, Nevertheless, My Name, and Gyeongseong Creature.

She also has been nominated or won numerous awards for her acting and work as a model.

While a teenager, she moved in with her grandmother in Seoul, and started finding part-time jobs that led to modeling. She couldn’t afford to attend college at the time.