"Devils Lurking... You Don't Know Unless You've Been Through It" Lee Seung Gi Opens Up About 10.5 Billion Won Jeonse Deposit Dispute

Shares jeonse fraud experience and advice on YouTube
"Distinguishing fraud from a simple failure to repay a debt is most important"

Singer and actor Lee Seung Gi opened up about his mixed feelings over a dispute involving the return of a 10.5 billion won jeonse deposit. He said that after personally experiencing the loss of not getting his deposit back, he realized there were many things to check during the contract process.

On November 14, a video titled "Hey, Wait, No, Just a Moment" was released on Lee Seung Gi's YouTube channel, "Lee Seung Gi 2." It showed Lee looking at homes in Seoul's Gangnam area with members of the production crew, one of whom has a jeonse contract expiring this December.

Singer and actor Lee Seunggi shared his thoughts on a dispute over the return of a 10.5 billion won jeonse deposit. Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Lee Seunggi 2."

Talking about real estate, Lee said, "For most people, owning real estate is the ultimate goal, isn't it? So everyone's hopes are invested in it, and that means there are plenty of devils lurking. You have to be careful and screen things properly."

He continued, "You don't understand unless you've been through it yourself. It makes you think about a lot of things, and you end up studying a tremendous amount," adding, "There are so many things I really want to say. That's why my mind is so complicated right now."

Referring to his own dispute over a jeonse deposit, he also stressed precautions to help prevent jeonse fraud. Lee said, "So many people in our society are suffering because of jeonse fraud or because they can't get their deposits back. After experiencing it firsthand this time, I realized there are so many things to check in situations where I had simply trusted things and moved on, thinking, 'It'll probably be fine.'"

Singer and actor Lee Seung Gi shared his thoughts on a dispute over the return of a 10.5 billion-won jeonse deposit. Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Lee Seung Gi 2"

He explained that it is especially important in cases where a jeonse deposit has not been returned to distinguish fraud from a simple failure to repay a debt. "The biggest issue is whether it's fraud or simply a failure to repay a debt. That's the difference between criminal and civil cases," he said, adding, "The actions, purpose, and intent at the time the money was received are most important."

Lee pointed out, "The really difficult part about jeonse fraud is that it's hard to prove. How could you have evidence from the outset that someone intended to deceive you?"

He advised people looking for a home to check the security of their deposit before considering the interior or the view. Lee said, "The condition of the home is important, but what's more important is whether I can be assured that my deposit will be safe from the time I move in until the time I move out."

Singer and actor Lee Seunggi shared his thoughts on a dispute over the return of a 10.5 billion won lease deposit. Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Lee Seung Gi 2"

He advised the production crew to seek help from a real estate expert, adding, "I'm just someone who suffered a loss. You need an expert." He concluded, "Learning knowledge is important, but nothing can beat learning through firsthand experience. I hope that my experience can help someone else avoid going through the same thing. Be careful and keep questioning things."

In July 2024, Lee signed a jeonse contract for a 255-square-meter unit at the luxury La Nuovo Hannam residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with a deposit of 10.5 billion won. The residence was reportedly owned by Chairwoman Cha Ga-won, who was then the largest shareholder of Lee's agency, Big Planet Made Entertainment.

However, a dispute arose after the contract expired in August 2026 and the deposit was still not returned. Lee's side claimed he was a victim of fraud and announced plans to take legal action.

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