K-Drama Actress Criticized for Leaving Her ‘Trash’ on Others
Hwang Jung Eum is facing backlash after a toy giveaway sparked controversy.
The actress, on hiatus due to embezzlement charges, posted on February 12 that she would give away her child’s old toys for free. She set up a giveaway from February 13 to 15 in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, open from 12 to 7 pm.
Photos showed piles of toys scattered on the floor, including cars, robots, and dinosaur figures used by her two sons.
“I’m giving away toys for free. These are toys my child used carefully—if you need them, feel free to take them.” – Hwang Jung Eum
The controversy began as netizens slammed her for how she disposed of the toys. In South Korea, trash disposal is costly with special bags required and large items needing paid removal. Fans criticized her for dumping the toys in an unorganized heap instead of sorting or arranging them.
She deleted the giveaway post amid strong negative reactions.
Last year, Hwang was indicted for embezzling ₩4.30 billion KRW (~$2.99 million USD) from her company. She admitted the charges, fully repaid the amount in two installments in May and June, and was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for four years.
The situation remains tense as fans monitor how Hwang handles public interactions post-scandal.