Park Han-byul was once one of South Korea’s biggest stars.
In the 2010s, the former model headlined multiple films and television shows, had endorsement deals with major brands, and dated one of the most popular K-pop stars of the time.
Today, the now 38-year-old works in a cafe and struggles to make ends meet after a catastrophic fall from grace.
The former A-lister is raising two children with the help of her mother while her husband serves probation for a series of crimes, including embezzlement and arranging prostitution.
In a recent YouTube video, the actress admitted that she can barely afford to put food on the table anymore.
Park Han-byul was once one of South Korea’s biggest stars, but the actress has fallen from grace and is now struggling to make ends meet working in a cafe
“I haven’t had any money lately,” she admitted Allkpop.
‘But if I had money, I would spend it on food. If I had 1 million KRW ($736.95), I would like to give it to my mother as an allowance. I run my café with a lot of dedication, but there is no fixed salary.’
Park’s lavish lifestyle collapsed in 2019 when her husband, Yoo In-seok, became embroiled in one of the biggest scandals in South Korean history.
In the incident, dubbed the Burning Sun scandal, several celebrities, K-pop idols and police officials were arrested and charged for their involvement in the Burning Sun nightclub, which was embroiled in prostitution, drug trafficking and corruption.
‘I haven’t had any money lately’: The 38-year-old has left the spotlight and now runs a cafe on Jeju Island, admitting she has struggled financially in recent years
The former A-lister is raising two children with the help of her mother while her husband serves probation for a series of crimes, including embezzlement and arranging prostitution.
Located in Korea’s upscale Gangnam district, the establishment was a playground for Asian stars and wealthy elites – and a hotbed of illegal crime.
The investigation put the squeaky clean image of South Korea’s K-Pop industry under fire after a series of women came forward claiming they were drugged at clubs, including Burning Sun, and fed to wealthy and powerful men.
A wealthy client with an ‘appetite for unconscious women’ allegedly asked a club host to ‘bring me the zombies’.
More than 350 people were arrested during the operation.
One of the most notable arrests was Seungri, best known as a member of one of South Korea’s most successful boy bands, BIG BANG.
Park’s lavish lifestyle collapsed in 2019 when her husband, Yoo In-seok, became embroiled in one of the biggest scandals in South Korean history, after a series of women came forward claiming they had been drugged and exposed in clubs rich and powerful men had served. rape
One of the most high-profile arrests resulting from the scandal was K-pop star Seungri (pictured), best known as a member of one of South Korea’s most successful boy bands, BIG BANG.
Seungri’s involvement was as co-owner and PR contact of a nightclub in Gangnam, and in 2020 he was indicted on charges of organizing prostitution, habitual gambling and violating the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act.
Han-byul’s husband Yoo In-seok was business partners with Seungri.
After the club was exposed and investigated, In-seok admitted to supplying potential Japanese investors with prostitutes and was given a suspended sentence of three years probation and a charge of embezzlement.
Although Han-byul had nothing to do with her husband’s activities, she received backlash from the public when she filed a self-written petition with the court in 2020 to appeal his arrest.
At the time of the scandal, the actress was filming a drama series, Love in Sadness, which would ultimately be her last appearance in the entertainment industry.
Another series the actress had booked was canceled before production began and all her endorsement deals were revoked.
Located in Korea’s upscale Gangnam district, the establishment was a playground for Asian stars and wealthy elites – and a hotbed of illegal crime
At the height of her fame, Han-byul won multiple awards as an actress and entertainer and was the face of major brands including Anna Sui, Clinique and more.
She was considered one of South Korea’s most beautiful stars and graced the pages of InStyle, Vogue and GQ.
These days, fans can only catch a glimpse of Han-byul on her YouTube channel.
At the height of her fame, Han-byul won several awards as an actress and entertainer
The beauty once had a string of major endorsement deals, including Clinique and Anna Sui
In 2020, after her husband’s scandal made headlines, Han-byul sold her home in Seoul and moved to the self-governing island of Jeju with her son to escape the spotlight.
A year later it was announced that she had opened her own small café on the island with her son.
Although she has kept her marriage strictly out of the media since the Burning Sun scandal, Han-byul and her husband quietly welcomed a second child together last year.
After years of silence, Han-byul launched her own YouTube channel earlier this month in an attempt to make a comeback.
In 2020, after her husband’s scandal made headlines, Han-byul sold her home in Seoul and moved to the self-governing island of Jeju with her son to escape the spotlight.
After years of silence, Han-byul launched her own YouTube channel earlier this month to document her new life as a cafe owner
The channel has received mixed reactions from Koreans, with some pitying the star while others had no sympathy whatsoever for her ordeal.
‘Why does this make me laugh? I never thought she was that great of an actress…but she sure is good at pulling off bad cosplay,” wrote one.
“Considering that there are so many celebrities who continue to advertise despite their scandals, I feel sorry for her… she’s suffering all this because she married the wrong man,” another added.
“So strange how some lives can turn out…who would have ever thought she would marry a man like that,” one wrote.