Published : Feb. 6, 2013 - 19:58
Shim Hyung-rae
Comedian-turned-director Shim Hyung-rae, convicted for failing to pay wages to former employees at his movie production company, has recently filed for personal bankruptcy, according to legal sources Wednesday.
The 55-year-old Shim, the head of Younggu-Art Entertainment, received a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years, and 80 hours of community service last month after being sued by former employees who demanded delayed monthly wages and severance pay.
Shim filed for personal bankruptcy with the Seoul Central District Court on Jan. 30, they said.
A presiding judge will soon decide whether to accept the petition, allowing the former comedian to benefit from the state-run personal credit recovery program, they added.
Once an iconic slapstick comedian in the 1980s, Shim delved into film production in the 1990s but had mixed results. His production company fell into heavy debt after his latest Hollywood-targeted film, “The Last Godfather (2010),” disappointed at the box office. (Yonhap News)