"8 Hundred Million Won Unpaid for 3 Years"... Lim Hyungjoo's '15 Billion Won Seoul Mansion' Controversy Continues

Subcontractors: "Stop the Pressure with False Claims... Issue an Apology"
Agency: "Lim Hyungjoo Is Not Involved... The Mansion Has Been Put Up for Sale"

Popera singer Lim Hyungjoo continues to face controversy over unpaid construction fees related to a mansion worth approximately 15 billion won, which he publicly presented as his home.

On April 30, Hwang Gyoyoung, an attorney at Cheongeum Law Firm representing five subcontractors, issued an official statement, saying, "A portion of the construction fees for the building that Lim widely promoted as his own mansion remains unpaid, and the subcontractors have not received payment for nearly three years."

Popera singer Lim Hyoungju.

He further pointed out, "Lim lied, claiming that there was no unpaid construction fee, but when subcontractors protested, citing even the existence of a court ruling, he has been unable to provide any response."

In response to Lim's side claiming that the construction fees were paid to the main contractor, Woongjin Industrial Development, but not passed on to the subcontractors, the main contractor also countered that it had not received the construction fees and thus could not make payment.

Regarding Lim's mention of 'double payment,' the attorney stated, "The subcontractor fees in this case are not a 'double payment' but are 'funds that rightfully should be paid.' The subcontractors are outraged by Lim's remarks that suggest he would pay the money as if he were doing them a favor, even though payment is obligatory."

Addressing the claim that this is solely a corporate matter and Lim is not involved, the attorney said, "It is contradictory for Lim to promote the building as his own mansion, but then, when the issue of unpaid fees arises, claim that the responsibility lies with MBLA BIRD Co., Ltd. and that he is not involved. According to Lim's side, he is residing in a building owned by MBLA BIRD Co., Ltd., which bears significant debts such as unpaid subcontractor fees. If he is residing there rent-free, this could also constitute a criminal act such as embezzlement for personal gain."

In addition, the subcontractors stated, "We hope that a solution for the unpaid fees will be presented as soon as possible," and urged, "Issue an official apology for pressuring the subcontractors with false information."

This controversy began in January of this year, when Lim revealed the four-story Seoul Popera House located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on a television program. The building is reported to be approximately 400 pyeong in size.

After the broadcast, suspicions were raised that MBLA BIRD, where Lim and his sibling serve as executive directors, had failed to pay more than 800 million won in construction fees to the subcontractors.

In response, Lim's agency explained that the Seoul Popera House construction was contracted and carried out by MBLA BIRD in 2023, and that Lim and his sibling were appointed as executive directors in 2025, making them unrelated to the construction project itself.

However, the agency also revealed a plan to sell the Seoul Popera House for 15.2 billion won, stating, "To avoid unnecessary disputes, we have put the Seoul Popera House up for sale at 15.2 billion won. If the sale is completed, we intend to prioritize paying the unpaid construction fees claimed by the subcontractors and subsequently resolve any outstanding issues with the main contractor," indicating a willingness to resolve the issue through the sale and payment process.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.