Actor Hwang Jung-eum reveals zero income, sold sons' first-birthday gold

Actor Hwang Jung-eum, who once said her bank balance grew by 4 billion won ($3.01 million) in just six months as advertising offers poured in overnight during her days on the hit sitcom "Rooftop Prince," has revealed she is now earning nothing while taking a break from acting. She also disclosed that she sold gold her two sons received at their first-birthday celebrations and canceled insurance policies to cover living expenses.

Hwang shared the update Wednesday on her YouTube channel in a video titled "The Day My Golden Boys Shower Me With Questions," answering questions submitted by fans.

When one subscriber asked how she was supporting herself while on hiatus from acting, Hwang replied simply: "Zero income."

"It's the first time since I was 26 that I haven't earned money, so I was genuinely flustered and scared," she said, describing how she felt after her income dried up.

She also said she had sold gold to make ends meet. "I sold all the gold — you know, gold that's worth money. Real gold!" she said. "I actually sold everything my sons Wangsik and Gangsik received at their first-birthday celebrations."

She added that canceling insurance policies had also brought in a significant sum. "Canceling the insurance brought in quite a bit of money," she said. "So I've been getting by on that, one day at a time."

Asked about the secret to staying upbeat despite her circumstances, Hwang offered her own advice for pushing through hardship: "Even in the worst situation, find something good you can take away from it."

She also recalled a time when her bank account held just 500 won, saying she had written down her goal of buying a building worth 10 billion won and kept it as a reminder.

Hwang was indicted on charges of embezzling about 4.3 billion won from a corporation she owned and received a suspended sentence of two years in prison with a four-year probation in September last year. She subsequently repaid the full embezzled amount in two installments in May and June last year after liquidating personal assets.

Hwang is currently on a break from acting and communicates with fans through her YouTube channel.