The recent arrest of actress Han So Hee’s mother on charges of running illegal gambling operations has shocked many. Reports have also surfaced that her mother had been persistently demanding money from Han So Hee, even up until recently.

On September 3, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho uploaded a video titled "Lend Me Money: Han So Hee’s Mom’s Shocking Update" on his channel. In the video, Lee Jin Ho revealed that he was the first to investigate the issue of Han So Hee’s mother’s debts. He shared that he had a direct conversation with Han Seo Hee's mother at the time, during which she assured him that she didn’t want to burden her daughter and would stop contacting her.

However, Lee Jin Ho continued, "Although Han So Hee had reportedly cut ties with her mother, it’s not easy to sever such a relationship completely. After Han So Hee released a strong statement distancing herself (from her mother), there was a period of no contact, but her mother continued to reach out, maintaining communication as mother and daughter."

He claimed, "The reality was harsh. Once they resumed communication, her mother started asking Han So Hee for financial help again. She even reached out to Han So Hee’s agency, causing distress to the staff members."

Regarding Han So Hee’s troubled childhood, Lee Jin Ho explained, "After her parents divorced when she was five, Han So Hee was raised by her grandmother. When she entered high school in Ulsan, where her mother lived, she and her grandmother sought to live with her mother, but her mother refused, leading them to live separately."

He continued, "Before entering college, Han So Hee struggled with severe financial difficulties and eventually gave up on college, moving to Seoul to start working as a model. It was then that her mother, upon learning that Han So Hee was earning money, began demanding financial support."

As Han So Hee rose to fame in the entertainment industry and became a rising star, her mother’s spending habits grew, leading to continuous financial mishaps. From the "gye" (a traditional Korean savings scheme) scandal to the "debt-collecting" incidents, Han So Hee’s mother borrowed money using her daughter’s name as collateral. Even when Han So Hee tried to cover for her, new financial problems kept emerging. At one point, her mother even asked for a loan, claiming she needed money temporarily until the agency’s next payment. There are reportedly numerous unknown victims suffering due to her mother’s actions.

On September 2, TV Chosun reported that Han So Hee’s mother had been arrested for running over ten illegal gambling operations. Ms. Shin allegedly operated 12 gambling sites in Ulsan and Wonju from 2021 until last month using "front men" as cover. Customers would log into the gambling sites she managed, recharge game money, and engage in games like baccarat. Ms. Shin had a previous record of being fined for similar charges and had a history of fraud as well.

In response to the controversy, Han So Hee released a statement through her agency. She expressed her distress, saying, "Han So Hee herself learned of this through the news and is at a loss for words to describe her devastated feelings." The agency emphasized, "We want to reiterate that this incident is entirely unrelated to the actress and was an independent act by her mother," drawing a clear line between Han So Hee and her mother’s actions. The agency also apologized for causing discomfort to the public with news unrelated to Han So Hee’s professional work.

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