Trot singer Jang Yoon Jeong recently shared her emotional struggles on YouTube, and it has been belatedly revealed that her mother, surnamed Yook, who has been under investigation for investment fraud, has been arrested by the police and referred to the prosecution.
The Songpa Police Station in Seoul announced on July 21 that Yook, who is facing charges of fraud, was recently referred to the prosecution under arrest. Yook is accused of receiving tens of millions of won from an acquaintance under the guise of investing in a program featuring Jang Yoon Jeong, and then failing to return the promised profits and the principal amount.
This case was brought to light last month through JTBC's "Crime Chief". An informant, identified as A, claimed to have met Yook at a sauna about two years ago and built a rapport with her. Yook allegedly gained A's trust by claiming, "I have reconciled with Jang Yoon Jeong and we are on good terms," and showing what appeared to be messenger conversations exchanged with Jang Yoon Jeong. Subsequently, Yook took 30 million won under the guise of an investment related to "Mr. Trot" but did not return the money, leading to a fraud complaint being filed in April.
At the time, Yook's whereabouts were difficult to determine as there was no record of her using a mobile phone or credit card, leading the police to temporarily suspend the investigation while tracking her location. Yook was eventually apprehended, arrested, and recently referred to the prosecution.
Shortly after the case became public, Yook sent messages to a reporter hinting at financial hardship and extreme choices, which led to rumors of her death as she became unreachable.
Jang Yoon Jeong cut ties with her mother in 2013 following conflicts over the management of her assets. Her mother later filed a lawsuit against her daughter but lost, and the two have reportedly had no contact for over 10 years. In 2018, Yook was convicted of fraud for borrowing hundreds of millions of won from an acquaintance and failing to repay it, and it was reported at the time that she was released on parole for treatment of terminal liver cancer.
With the news of her mother's fraud allegations and disappearance surfacing, Jang Yoon Jeong has also hinted that she is going through a difficult time. In a video released on July 16 on her YouTube channel, Jang Yoon Jeong visited a shop run by a junior colleague she met through broadcasting and shared a drink. Through subtitles, she wrote, "You were wondering how I've been, right? I'm getting by somehow. There is so much I want to say. I think I should turn it into a song," before eventually shedding tears and being unable to continue speaking.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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