On August 3, Cha Ga Won, chairwoman of Piark Group and CEO of One Hundred the parent company of Lee Seung Gi‘s former agency Big Planet Made Entertainment was taken into custody.
According to prosecutors, Cha Ga Won is accused of violating South Korea’s Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (Fraud).
Authorities allege that she received approximately ₩24.2 billion in advance payments after proposing business ventures using celebrities’ intellectual property rights but failed to carry out the projects. She is also accused of withholding around ₩5 billion in rental deposits owed to acquaintances. The Seoul Central District Court approved her arrest warrant, citing concerns over the possible destruction of evidence.
Attention has now turned to Lee Seung Gi and Lee Da In’s luxury residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul.
In 2024, the couple signed a ₩10.5 billion jeonse contract for the upscale villa, which is owned by Cha Ga Won and her husband. With the lease nearing its expiration, questions have emerged regarding the return of their substantial security deposit.
Previously, Lee Seung Gi’s representatives claimed that Cha Ga Won requested a deposit above market value while promising to cover loan interest expenses an agreement they allege was not honored. Cha Ga Won’s side has denied the allegations, maintaining that the lease amount was determined through a formal property appraisal and that Lee Seung Gi fully understood and agreed to the contract terms.
Reports indicate that approximately ₩7.3 billion of the jeonse deposit was financed through bank loans. If the deposit is not returned promptly after the lease expires, Lee Seung Gi could face continued interest payments and may ultimately need to repay the outstanding loan himself while pursuing legal action to recover the funds.
Korean media report that Lee Seung Gi registered a jeonse right (jeonse registration) on the property. This legal protection gives the tenant stronger rights than a standard leaseholder, including the ability to request a court-ordered auction of the property if the landlord fails to return the deposit.
However, legal experts note that such protection does not guarantee full recovery of the deposit. The actual amount recovered depends on factors such as the property’s secured debts, ownership status, and the landlord’s financial condition.
If repayment is delayed, Lee Seung Gi could pursue civil litigation, compulsory enforcement, or foreclosure proceedings, though these legal processes often take considerable time.
Lee Seung Gi and actress Lee Da In married in 2023. The couple welcomed their first daughter in 2024 and recently celebrated the birth of their second child, a son, in July 2026. Lee Da In is the daughter of actress Kyeon Mi Ri and the younger sister of actress Lee Yu Bi.
While the outcome of the deposit dispute remains uncertain, attention is expected to remain on whether the couple can recover the full ₩10.5 billion as legal proceedings involving Cha Ga Won continue.
Sources: Naver