Shin Jung-hwan sentanced to 8 months in prison

Shin Jung-hwan [MBC]

Singer-turned-TV personality Shin Jung-hwan on Friday received eight months of jail term for habitual gambling overseas.

A court said "the nature of his crime is not light" considering that Shin has a history of gambling and that he gambled away more than 200 million won at a hotel in the Philippines last September.

The court also found fault in him for continuing to gamble although news of it broke out and not returning home to fulfill his responsibilities as a public figure.

Gambling is strictly prohibited in South Korea and citizens are not allowed to gamble abroad either.

However, Shin hid from police for five months overseas after his problem came into light and got arrested upon his arrival at the airport in January this year.

Shin, who debuted in 1994, was first a rapper for popular K-pop group Roo'ra and then one of the two members of Country Kko Kko with Tak Jae-hoon.

He then started leading a career as an entertainer on several shows but stepped down from them after getting caught for gambling in 2003 and 2005.

He re-emerged onto his previous shows a few months later, regaining his popularity and becoming one of the most sought-out show hosts in the country.

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Reporter : Kim Myung-hyun
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@