Actress Seo Hyun Jin has been caught up in shocking reports that she may be a victim of a massive rental scam worth 2.6 billion won (around $1.9 million USD)—and if true, she could be the first known celebrity to fall victim to this kind of fraud.
On June 2, Seo Hyun Jin’s agency, Management Soop, spoke up but remained cautious. A representative said, “It is difficult to confirm the reports about Seo Hyun Jin’s rental fraud case,” and added, “Since it’s a private matter, we ask for understanding as we will not make further comments.”
According to earlier reports, Seo Hyun Jin had been living in a luxury home in Yongsan District, Seoul since 2020.
She reportedly signed a jeonse (a lump-sum rental deposit) contract with a 2.5 billion won deposit, which she later renewed in 2022 for 2.625 billion won. However, when her lease ended in April 2023, the landlord failed to return her deposit.
In September 2023, Seo Hyun Jin officially registered her rights as a tenant and moved out. She later filed for a court auction in April 2024 in an attempt to recover her money. But things took a turn for the worse when the property value dropped significantly.
Though once appraised at 2.8 billion won, the property failed to sell and has now dropped to a minimum auction price of around 2.2 billion won, making it what Koreans call a “kkangtong jeonse” or "zero-value lease". This means she may not be able to recover her full deposit.
The news has sparked a wave of concern online. Netizens commented:
- “Even celebrities aren’t safe from this. That’s so scary.”
- “If this is true, it’s heartbreaking. I hope she gets her money back.”
- “Seo Hyun Jin might be the first celebrity to go through this. That’s really sad.”
- “This shows how serious the rental scam problem is in Korea.”
As more details unfold, fans are hoping Seo Hyun Jin can recover her losses and that this situation raises more awareness about rental fraud—even for high-profile figures.
Source: [1]
