Actor Hwang Jung-eum pauses YouTube channel two months after comeback amid embezzlement controversy

Actor Hwang Jung-eum announced she is taking a break from her YouTube channel just two months after returning to public activity following an embezzlement controversy.

Hwang posted a message Wednesday on her YouTube channel saying she planned to step back temporarily. "I'd like to take some time to reorganize the channel so I can come back with more fun and a fresh look," she wrote. "So I'll be taking a short break for the next two weeks."

She added that she would use the hiatus to refresh the channel and think carefully about what kind of content and stories to share going forward. "I'll come back brighter and more cheerful if you wait just a little," she said. "See you in two weeks."

Hwang had halted all activities and kept a low profile after the embezzlement allegations surfaced. After a year away, she launched her YouTube channel on May 19, posting content weekly and writing: "I am deeply sorry for the disappointment and worry I caused so many people through my own shortcomings. Rather than making excuses, I want to reflect on myself with a sense of responsibility and slowly share my genuine daily life. I will give everything I have so as not to disappoint those who are watching over me." The sudden two-week pause comes just two months into that comeback.

Last year, Hwang was indicted on charges of embezzling about 4.3 billion won ($2.88 million) from an agency in which she held a 100 percent stake, allegedly using the funds for cryptocurrency investment and other purposes. She received a sentence of two years in prison, suspended for four years. Her legal team admitted to all charges in court, and the full amount of damages has been repaid.