Former Seoul city councillor and 'laughter therapist' accused of disappearing after borrowing billions

It's a bitter irony. A woman who built a career on bringing laughter to the world has allegedly left residents in tears after vanishing. A former member of the 9th Seoul Metropolitan Council, who also worked as a broadcaster and laughter therapist, has been booked by police on suspicion of a massive fraud. But this case appears to go beyond simply borrowing money and failing to repay it.

Dozens of victims, losses exceeding 1 billion won

According to police on the 18th, the Seoul Seodaemun Police Station has booked the former councillor, identified as Ms. A, on fraud charges and is currently investigating. Ms. A is accused of approaching local residents and district office employees in the Seodaemun-gu area since last year, borrowing money from them and failing to repay it. The scale of the alleged fraud has sent shockwaves through the community. It is understood there are dozens of confirmed victims so far, with the total amount reportedly exceeding a minimum of 1 billion won.

The two faces of a 'laughter therapist'

Ms. A is not just a former city councillor. She began her career as a publicly recruited comedian for KBS in the late 1980s. After a stint as a kindergarten teacher, she obtained qualifications as a laughter therapist and recreation leader, becoming active in various fields. Here is a brief timeline of her career:

• Late 1980s: Debuts as a KBS publicly recruited comedian, active in broadcasting.
• Early 2000s: Switches careers to become a kindergarten teacher, working in education.
• Around 2010: Obtains qualifications as a laughter therapist and recreation leader, begins giving lectures.
• 2014: Elected to the 9th Seoul Metropolitan Council, enters politics.
• March 2026: Comes under police investigation over alleged multi-billion-won fraud.

In the memories of local residents, she was an incredibly cheerful person. During her 2014 council campaign, her slogan was "A world where hardworking people can live with a smile." In an interview at the time, she stated, "Just as a comedian's job is to make the audience laugh, politics is about sacrifice and service for the residents," revealing her ambitions. This background, combined with her eloquence, was enough to earn the trust of her constituents.

Community reels from sense of betrayal

Now, she is reportedly 'incommunicado', with even her former constituents unable to reach her. It's understood that many of the alleged victims are acquaintances she made during her time as a councillor and while conducting lectures as a laughter therapist.

One resident of Seodaemun-gu vented their frustration, saying, "Because of the image she built up over the years, I never suspected a thing. How could someone who made people laugh do something like this?" This incident will likely be remembered as more than just a financial crime; it represents a deep crack in the community's trust system.

The Seodaemun Police Station is working to determine the exact charges and identify any further victims. Police plan to summon Ms. A for questioning soon, but her current whereabouts have not been confirmed.

The talent to make people laugh and the passion for community development are commendable. However, exploiting that trust to cheat neighbours is unforgivable, for any reason. All eyes will be on the police investigation to see how this bitter chapter, left by a former councillor who sold 'laughter', concludes.