Actor Hwang Jung-eum [Newsis]
Actor Hwang Jung-eum [Newsis]

Actor Hwang Jung-eum has spoken out about the controversy that erupted earlier this year over a free toy giveaway she organized.

Hwang chatted with fans on her YouTube channel Wednesday while receiving an enzyme steam treatment.

When the conversation turned to the "free toy giveaway controversy" from February, one fan said, "I actually really liked that."

At the time, Hwang had held an event at her home where she gave away toys her children had used. She posted photos of the items on Instagram, writing: "Free toy giveaway. These are toys my child used and kept clean — please feel free to take whatever you need."

Though the gesture was well-intentioned, some online users criticized her after photos showed the toys placed on the ground near a trash collection area. Comments included "Is this a giveaway or just dumping waste?" and "This is so thoughtless."

Hwang Jung-eum. [Hwang Jung-eum SNS]
Hwang Jung-eum. [Hwang Jung-eum SNS]

Hwang explained that she had been in the middle of moving at the time. "I posted while I was still sorting through the toys — I hadn't finished organizing them," she said. "I put it up first and started from there. I was just trying to give things away quickly, and it turned into a whole thing." She added that the episode taught her a lesson: "How things look matters too."

It also emerged, however, that people who actually received items from the giveaway had reacted positively, contrary to the online criticism. One recipient wrote that "the news coverage was misleading — it didn't look like waste at all," describing the event as a spacious yard where children's goods and books were given away for free, while adult clothing, bags and shoes were sold flea-market style.

Hwang had responded to that comment directly at the time, writing: "Thank you. The article wasn't accurate anyway, so I wasn't even bothering to respond… Please spread the word — I'm giving away toys, baby clothes and books too."


paq@heraldcorp.com