Actress Han So Hee’s mother sentenced for operating multiple illegal gambling dens.

Han So Hee’s mother, identified as Shin (55), has been convicted for running multiple illegal gambling establishments and sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspension, along with 120 hours of community service. The ruling was delivered by Judge Kim Do Hyung at the Chuncheon District Court’s Wonju branch.

Shin was charged with opening seven illegal gambling venues for profit between late January 2022 and late August 2023. According to the court, she collaborated with members of an illegal gambling website she contacted through Telegram. Shin received access codes for the illegal gambling sites as well as manager codes, which she used to establish and operate gambling venues, earning revenue and commissions from the operations.

Shin reportedly set up five illegal gambling venues in Wonju and one each in Ulsan and Gyeongju. Her tactics included partnering with local managers and operators to run adult PC game rooms, where patrons could engage in online gambling games such as baccarat.

This is not Shin’s first offense. In 2021, she was convicted for violating the Game Industry Promotion Act and was fined 5 million KRW in 2023. Despite this, she continued her activities, prompting the recent charges.

The court noted, “Even after receiving a fine in 2023, the defendant managed and operated illegal gambling sites, collaborating with several game room operators to establish gambling venues. While the exact amount of profit gained is unclear, the nature of the operations suggests significant financial benefit.” The court also considered her limited prior criminal record and time already served in custody, opting for a suspended sentence.

Shin, who had been detained since September, was released after the verdict. However, the prosecution has appealed the ruling, arguing it is too lenient, leading to a forthcoming second trial.

After news of Shin’s arrest surfaced, Han So Hee’s agency, 9Ato Entertainment, issued a statement:

“The matters concerning Han So Hee’s mother are entirely personal and unrelated to the actress. Han So Hee herself only learned about the issue through news reports and is devastated. We reiterate that this is a matter involving her mother’s independent actions and has nothing to do with the actress. We apologize for causing discomfort by delivering such unfortunate news unrelated to her work.”

SEE ALSO: Han So Hee flaunts her love for tattoos with sticker art