The former CEO of the company behind popular Korean dramas has reportedly been missing for about four months.
According to the Chosun Ilbo on October 29th, A, the former CEO of content production company Arc Media (now SYN& Studio), has lost contact with family and acquaintances since early July.
A former PD of a terrestrial broadcaster, he was involved in producing works such as Big Bet, The King’s Affection, and Kiss Sixth Sense.
As A did not return home for an extended period, his family filed a missing person report with the police. The Ilsan West Police Station in Gyeonggi Province is tracking his movements recorded on CCTV and the last location where his phone was turned off.
During the investigation, it was also revealed that A has been accused of large-scale embezzlement. Unichem, an automotive parts company, filed a complaint against him at the end of July on suspicion of embezzlement related to his job. The company claims the embezzled amount is about ₩1.50 billion KRW (about $1.12 million USD), accounting for 1.14% of its equity capital.
Earlier, on July 23, Unichem disclosed that an embezzlement suspicion against A had occurred. At that time, the company stated, “The amount related to embezzlement was confirmed through an internal audit, but it may change based on the results of investigations by authorities.” They also said they would take necessary measures according to lawful procedures regarding the matter.
A established the content production company in 2019 and served as CEO. He later joined Unichem as an inside director in April last year as the company planned to expand into the entertainment sector.
Interest has also grown concerning the dramas A was involved in producing amid the embezzlement allegations. One such drama is KBS 2TV’s A Love Other Than Yours, starring Seo Kang Joon and Ahn Eun Jin. Mr. A was reportedly involved from the planning stage, including casting actors and arranging broadcast scheduling, raising concerns over production disruptions. Industry rumors suggested problems in the scheduling process and a statement circulated claiming filming had stopped due to embezzlement of production funds. However, it is reported that filming proceeded as planned.
Since Mr. A has been registered as a suspect in the embezzlement case, his family reportedly faces restrictions in receiving search-related information. Details such as credit card usage or phone records may be classified investigation information and thus difficult to share with family. The police are considering the possibility that A deliberately went into hiding to evade investigation, as well as the possibility of an accident. However, any connection between his disappearance and the embezzlement case has yet to be confirmed.