Lee Seung Gi has spoken out about allegations regarding his luxury villa and suspicious loans.
Lee Seung Gi, a renowned singer and actor, recently addressed allegations linking his luxury villa to suspicious lending practices. These allegations surfaced on an episode of the program "PD's Notebook," which discussed the high-value rental contracts signed by several celebrities living in the building.
According to reports in the program, all four units in the luxury villa have not been sold. Two of the units are occupied by artists under the influence of Cha Ga Won, chairman of PIARC Group and head of ONE HUNDRED LABEL, including Lee Seung Gi and EXO's Baekhyun. Lee Seung Gi's unit reportedly has a rental deposit of approximately 10.5 billion KRW (approximately $6.93 million USD), while Baekhyun's unit reportedly has a rental deposit of 16.0 billion KRW (approximately $10.6 million USD). Furthermore, the property was also linked to a large loan, with the amount reportedly increasing sharply after the lease was signed.
Responding to this situation, Lee Seung Gi claimed that Cha Ga Won had repeatedly asked him and his wife to move into the building. "He said the unit above us was empty and wanted to live close to us and depend on us. We refused several times, but he kept insisting," Lee Seung Gi revealed. He also claimed that the rental process became problematic after they moved in. "We were told that the appraisal was delayed and the exact rent amount couldn't be agreed upon. Then, after we moved in, the requested amount was much higher than what was initially discussed, more than three times higher," he added.
Cha Ga Won denied the criticism, stating that he had personally covered the interest costs on loans related to artists living in the building for the past three years. However, Lee Seung Gi rejected this narrative, saying, "He promised to continue covering the loan interest himself." He added that the promised payments were ultimately not made as agreed.
This controversy has drawn public attention because it involves high-profile celebrities and significant property transactions. Following the broadcast, numerous media outlets attempted to contact Cha Ga Won's representatives for further comment. However, it was reported that ONE HUNDRED LABEL's public relations team recently resigned, while legal representatives did not respond to inquiries. These accusations and denials continue, with both sides presenting differing accounts of what transpired during the lease negotiations.
Lee Seung Gi and his wife, Lee Da In, have signed a lease for a luxury villa in UN Village, further highlighting their story amidst this controversy.
(wk/timw)
