Recently, the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office Ansan Branch indicted Areum without detention on charges of fraud in December of last year. It decided to indict and detain Areum’s boyfriend, Mr. A.
The couple are accused of borrowing a total of 37 million won (approx. 25,680 USD) from three acquaintances, including Areum’s fans, and not paying it back. It is known that Areum was sued last year for asking them to borrow money using personal reasons as an excuse and then not paying it back.
Meanwhile, previously on January 17, a sentencing hearing for Areum was held at the Ansan Court (Judge Yoon Sang-do). The court sentenced Areum to 8 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 40 hours of child abuse prevention lectures.
Areum faced accusations of verbally abusing her ex-husband “A” in front of their children. She was also charged with slandering “C”, who revealed a court ruling involving her boyfriend “B”, on an internet broadcast.
The court stated, “The defendant has admitted to the charges of child abuse. Inflicting significant psychological harm on the legal guardian of the children is a grave matter deserving of condemnation.” Regarding the defamation charges, the court said, “Although the defendant claims she did not intend to slander ‘C’, her statements, such as alleging the court ruling was fabricated, were made without any effort to verify the facts and are deemed reckless. We find there was willful negligence. Considering the context of the broadcast, her relationship with the victim and the nature of her remarks, it is recognized that there was intent to defame.”
Areum’s mother, who was also charged with child abuse, received a sentence of four months in prison, suspended for one year. She was accused of neglecting the situation by allowing her grandchildren to remain in an environment where Areum verbally abused “A” at her residence between 2021 and 2022.
Areum joined T-ara as a member in 2012 but left the group after only one year. She married an older businessman, “A”, in 2019 and had two sons. However, the couple began divorce proceedings in 2023, during which Areum revealed her relationship with “B”, sparking controversy.
Areum claimed that “A” had abused their children and subjected her to domestic violence during her marriage. However, police investigations found no evidence to support the allegations of child abuse against “A”.
Subsequently, Areum and “B” were accused of borrowing approximately 37 million KRW from fans and acquaintances and failing to repay the amount. In August last year, Areum was indicted without detention for the charges. However, she claimed, “A hacker committed the act, and I never borrowed the money.”
Currently, Areum gave birth to her third child with “B” and is pregnant with a fourth.