Lee Seung-gi's side: "Cha Ga-won suspected of deposit fraud... Urges thorough investigation following arrest"

Lee Seung-gi’s side has issued an official statement regarding the dispute over the return of the jeonse deposit with Cha Ga-won, CEO of One Hundred Label. Lee Seung-gi’s side defined the matter not as a simple civil debt default but as a criminal offense and announced a firm stance on taking strong action. On the 6th, Lee Seung-gi’s legal representative, Law Office Hyunmyeong, stated in a press release that Cha Ga-won had fraudulently obtained money by entering into the jeonse contract without the intention or ability to return the deposit. They also revealed circumstances suggesting that preparations such as appraisals were made with the intention of executing a loan under Lee Seung-gi’s name even before the jeonse contract was signed. Lee Seung-gi’s side explained that the property was originally planned to be sold for around 7 billion KRW, but after the contract was canceled, the structure was designed to allow a jeonse loan of about 7.3 billion KRW, enabling the jeonse contract to be signed. Lee Seung-gi signed a jeonse contract for 10.5 billion KRW for a luxury villa in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, owned by Cha Ga-won and his spouse in 2024, of which approximately 7.3 billion KRW was reportedly financed through a jeonse loan. Upon the contract’s expiration, Lee Seung-gi requested the return of the jeonse deposit, but Cha Ga-won’s spouse stated that ″returning the deposit is impossible due to Cha Ga-won’s absence,″ resulting in no refund. Lee Seung-gi’s side added that they prepared to move but suffered losses including moving expenses. Lee Seung-gi’s side raised the possibility of accomplices, stating that multiple individuals, including Cha Ga-won’s spouse, real estate agents, and those involved in loans and appraisals, appeared to have divided roles and acted together. They also criticized Cha Ga-won’s legal representative for recently claiming ″there is no problem with returning the jeonse deposit″ but evading responsibility on the actual due date. Cha Ga-won’s side claimed that Lee Seung-gi raised suspicions of jeonse fraud to terminate the exclusive contract and stated that the payment was handled as a jeonse contract rather than a jeonse contract, but as an exclusive contract deposit in cash. The positions of Lee Seung-gi’s side and Cha Ga-won’s side remain sharply opposed. Meanwhile, Cha Ga-won is under investigation for allegedly receiving an advance payment of 24.2 billion KRW after proposing a business using the intellectual property (IP) of entertainers affiliated with the entertainment agency One Hundred and failing to carry out the business, as well as for not returning about 5 billion KRW in deposits after having acquaintances enter into jeonse contracts. The police estimate the damage at about 30 billion KRW, and the court issued an arrest warrant for Cha Ga-won on the 3rd, citing concerns over evidence tampering. Lee Seung-gi’s side stated that they had refrained from public responses, prioritizing unresolved payments to staff and the normal resumption of activities for affiliated artists. They pledged to do their best in their primary entertainment activities going forward while responding thoroughly to prevent similar damages from recurring. Separately, Lee Seung-gi is currently restricted from accessing a newly constructed building in Jangchung-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, due to a lien exercised by the construction company Piac Construction, and has applied for a provisional disposition for building delivery, awaiting the court’s decision.