[Exclusive]Lee Seung-gi to remain in Hannam-dong..Cha Ga-won 105 billion won deposit dispute intensifies [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Legal representative: "No legal issue with remaining in possession without moving; indictment not yet filed"

The 10.5 billion won deposit dispute between singer and actor Lee Seung-gi and Cha Ga-won, chairman of the PIA Group and CEO of One Hundred Label, is expected to escalate. Lee Seung-gi has announced he will maintain possession of the property instead of moving out after failing to receive his deposit back, while also warning of criminal legal action.

Yoon Yong-seok, a lawyer at Hyunmyeong Law Office representing Lee Seung-gi, told StarNews on the 6th: "Lee Seung-gi's lease agreement for his current residence expired today, but he has not received the deposit from Chairman Cha Ga-won." He added, "He will continue to occupy the property without moving out, and this is entirely legal with no issues whatsoever."

He further stated, "We are also planning to file a criminal complaint regarding this matter, though the exact timing remains undecided."

Previously, in 2024, Lee Seung-gi signed a lease agreement for a villa in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, owned by Cha Ga-won and her husband, for 10.5 billion won. Subsequently, Lee's side claimed that Cha Ga-won demanded a deposit higher than market value, while Cha's side countered that Lee insisted on a lease agreement instead of an exclusive contract to avoid taxes associated with owning multiple properties.

At the time, Lee's side stated: "We received promises from Chairman Cha Ga-won and her husband to return the deposit by the contract expiration date or move-out date. If they break this promise again, we will take strong civil and criminal legal measures as deemed necessary."

Currently, Chairman Cha Ga-won is in custody on suspicion of fraud involving approximately 30 billion won. She is accused of proposing a business using intellectual property (IP) of artists under her agency to Knowmerce Co., Ltd., signing a contract, receiving an advance payment of 24.2 billion won, but failing to properly execute the promised business. The alleged damage amounts to about 30 billion won.

In response, Cha Ga-won's side has completely denied the allegations, claiming they arose during an adversarial mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process.

Furthermore, Chairman Cha Ga-won is also under suspicion for proposing lease agreements in acquaintances' names, collecting approximately 5.4 billion won in deposits, and then failing to fulfill the contracts. As the expiration date for the villa where Lee Seung-gi resided approached, he announced legal action after failing to recover his deposit.

If the deposit is not returned, the situation could escalate into civil and criminal lawsuits surrounding the matter. Additionally, Cha Ga-won's side has argued that "this was not a standard lease agreement but rather a property transfer tied to an exclusive contract," potentially leading to further disputes over legal interpretations of the contract.

On this day, Yoon Yong-seok and Jang Jae-won of Hyunmyeong Law Office issued a formal statement: "We believe Cha Ga-won's failure to return the deposit is not merely a case of non-refund but constitutes 'jeonse fraud,' where she accepted the deposit despite having no intention or ability to return it."

They further argued, "This case goes beyond typical landlord-tenant disputes. It appears that a sophisticated fraud scheme was strategically employed, involving securing large loans for a famous celebrity to sign a high-value lease agreement and then misappropriating the deposit."

Lee Seung-gi's side highlighted circumstances suggesting Cha Ga-won's team had anticipated executing a lease loan in Lee's name even before signing the contract. They stated: "This property was previously subject to a sale valued at around 7 billion won, but the deal was canceled. Subsequently, Cha Ga-won's side concealed this and conducted an appraisal to secure a higher global lease price than the original sale amount. Through this process, they structured the contract to enable approximately 7.3 billion won in lease loans before finalizing the agreement with Lee Seung-gi."

They also stated: "Shortly after receiving the deposit, Cha Ga-won and her husband transferred ownership of the property via a trust company. It appears they planned a fraud scheme by utilizing high-value lease loans available to famous celebrities to raise funds for acquiring the real estate, intending not to return the deposit upon contract expiration."

Additionally, Lee Seung-gi's side raised the possibility that multiple individuals, including Cha Ga-won, her spouse, a real estate agent, and those involved in loan and appraisal processes, played roles. They claimed: "Cha Ga-won's legal representative recently stated to both the court and the artist's team that there were no issues with returning the deposit. However, on the contract expiration date, her spouse claimed return was difficult due to Cha Ga-won's absence. Relying on this, we prepared for relocation, but related costs have now become part of our losses."

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*This content was translated by AI.