The former CEO of a K-drama production company behind hits like Big Bet and The King’s Affection has reportedly been missing for about four months — and police now believe he may have deliberately gone into hiding as he faces a large-scale embezzlement accusation.
Arc Media (Credits: Koreaboo)
Former CEO of Arc Media missing since July
According to the Chosun Ilbo on October 29, 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 Big Bet, The King’s Affection, and Kiss Sixth Sense.
After he failed to return home for an extended period, his family filed a missing person report. The Ilsan West Police Station in Gyeonggi Province is now tracking his movements from CCTV footage and the last location where his phone was turned off.
₩1.5 billion embezzlement accusation
During the investigation, it emerged that A has been accused of large-scale embezzlement. Automotive parts company Unichem filed a complaint against him at the end of July on suspicion of embezzlement related to his position. The company claims the amount is about ₩1.50 billion KRW (about $1.12 million USD), accounting for 1.14% of its equity capital. Unichem disclosed the suspicion on July 23, saying the figure came from an internal audit and could change as authorities investigate.
A established the production company in 2019 and served as CEO. He joined Unichem as an inside director in April last year as the company planned to expand into entertainment.
Drama production concerns and police theories
The disappearance has raised questions around projects he was involved in, including KBS 2TV’s A Love Other Than Yours, starring Seo Kang Joon and Ahn Eun Jin. A was reportedly involved from the planning stage — casting and scheduling — and rumors circulated that filming had halted over embezzled production funds, though filming reportedly proceeded as planned.
Because A is registered as a suspect, his family faces restrictions on receiving search-related information such as credit card usage or phone records. Police are considering both the possibility that A deliberately went into hiding to evade investigation and the possibility of an accident — but any connection between his disappearance and the embezzlement case has yet to be confirmed.
Source: Koreaboo — read the full story there.
