From laughter therapist to fraud accused: The shocking fall of a former Seoul city councillor who vanished after borrowing crores

It’s a deeply ironic twist. A woman who built a career on spreading joy and laughter to others is now accused of leaving citizens in tears after seemingly vanishing into thin air. This former broadcast personality and laughter therapist, who also served as a member of the 9th Seoul Metropolitan Council, has been booked by the police on charges of massive fraud. But this case goes far beyond simply borrowing money and failing to return it.

Dozens of victims, losses exceeding 1 billion KRW

According to police officials on the 18th, the Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul 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 then failing to repay it. The sheer scale of the alleged fraud is staggering. So far, dozens of victims have come forward, and the total amount involved is reported to be at least 1 billion KRW (approximately ₹6 crore), sending shockwaves through the local community.

The two faces of the 'laughter therapist'

Ms. A is not just a former politician. Her background is quite varied. She first entered the entertainment industry as a publicly recruited comedian for KBS in the late 1980s. Later, she worked as a kindergarten teacher before obtaining certifications as a laughter therapist and recreation leader, actively working across different fields. Here is a brief timeline of her career:

• Late 1980s: Debuts as a KBS publicly recruited comedian, active in broadcasting.
• Early 2000s: Transitions to become a kindergarten teacher, working in education.
• Around 2010: Obtains certifications as a Laughter Therapist and Recreation Leader, begins giving lectures.
• 2014: Elected as a member of the 9th Seoul Metropolitan Council, entering politics.
• March 2026: Comes under police investigation for alleged fraud involving billions of KRW.

In the memories of local residents, she was a bright and cheerful person. In fact, when she ran for the Seoul city council in 2014, her slogan was "A world where hardworking people live with a smile." In an interview back then, she expressed her unique ambitions, saying, "Just as a comedian's job is to make the audience laugh, politics is about sacrifice and service for the residents." Her impressive resume and eloquence were more than enough to gain the trust of the people in her constituency.

The deep sense of betrayal felt by the community

Now, that same person is reportedly unreachable, having seemingly gone into hiding, leaving even her former constituents in the dark. It is particularly heartbreaking that many of the alleged victims are acquaintances she made during her time as a councillor and while conducting lectures as a laughter therapist.

A resident of Seodaemun-gu expressed their anguish, saying, "I never suspected a thing because of the image she had built up over the years." They added incredulously, "How can someone who made people laugh do something like this?" This incident is likely to be remembered not just as a simple financial crime, but as a event that has severely damaged the very fabric of trust within this community.

The Seodaemun Police Station is currently working to confirm the exact nature of the charges against Ms. A and identify any additional victims. While police plan to summon her for questioning soon regarding the accusations, her current whereabouts remain unknown.

The ability to make people laugh and the passion for community development are certainly commendable. However, exploiting that very trust to cheat one's neighbours is inexcusable, for any reason. All eyes are now on the police investigation to see how it will conclude this bitter saga left behind by a former city councillor who once sold 'laughter'.