Singer Psy is in the news after it was revealed that his previous house was seized due to overdue fines related to illegal building violations.

According to a report from BizHankook on November 25th, the villa in UN Village, where Psy once lived, was seized because he failed to pay a fine for not fixing an illegal building structure as ordered by authorities.

Although Psy paid the fine five months later, the house remained in violation because the changes to the property were never corrected. Interestingly, during the time his house was seized, Psy had already purchased a new home worth around 10 billion KRW.

Back in 2008, Psy and his wife bought a duplex in the luxury villa "The House" in UN Village for 2.2 billion KRW, along with an adjacent office for 370 million KRW. The couple lived there until 2020, when they moved to Park Hannam and began renting out their former property.

However, a complaint was filed about an unauthorized extension of the property. It turned out that a shared stairwell between the duplex and office was being used as a single residence. After an inspection, Yongsan District Office confirmed the complaint and ordered the couple to fix the issue.

Things got worse when it was found that they had illegally expanded the house by installing reinforced concrete, leading to violations of the Building Act. In May of this year, Yongsan District Office seized the property after Psy and his wife failed to pay the fines for over a year.

In addition to the fines, experts believe the couple may also have faced penalties for taxes on the property and could have been subject to a luxury home tax due to the size of their home.

Despite the ongoing issues, the couple paid the fine on October 28th, and the seizure was lifted after five months. However, the property remains an illegal building since the correction order was never followed.

While all this was happening, Psy went ahead and bought a new home. In July 2022, he purchased a unit in the luxury villa "Upper House Namsan" in Itaewon, Seoul, for about 10 billion KRW.

He completed the final payment in September 2022, officially transferring ownership. Interestingly, this luxury property was also purchased by some high-profile figures, including Seomin Jung, the daughter of Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung Bae, and actor Ha Jung Woo.

Source: [1]

Lee Kyung Gyu's star-making influence goes beyond Kang Ho Dong, as Hong Jin Kyung shares how he helped her kickstart her career.

On the April 24 episode of KBS 2TV’s Problem Child in House, legendary comedian Lee Kyung Gyu appeared as a guest—and a touching story from the past was revealed.

Hong Jin Kyung surprised everyone when she said, “He’s the teacher for all of us. Personally, he’s the one who helped me debut.” She even pinned a carnation flower on his chest to show her gratitude.

Lee Kyung Gyu smiled and said, “I still remember when Hong Jin Kyung walked up the stairs onto the stage for the first time.”

Hong Jin Kyung then shared her journey to becoming a star. “I joined a supermodel contest, but only the top 3 winners were noticed in broadcasting. I got a special prize, so I had no chance to be on TV."

She continued, "At first, I was just a backup for a show. But somehow, I became a regular the next week. I never knew why."

She added, "I thought the PD gave me a shot. But then one day, I randomly met Kyung Gyu sunbae, and he told me it was actually him who recommended me.”

Kim Sook asked with a smile, “So Kyung Gyu sunbae said nice things about you to the PD?”

Lee Kyung Gyu playfully replied, “Don’t say it in such a childish way,” making everyone laugh.

He then explained more seriously, “The show was Scoop TV Entertainment, and I was pretty much the main MC. When Jin Kyung showed up, I saw her determination and passion."

He added, "While others didn’t seem serious, she really stood out. I told the PD, ‘She seems unique. Why not keep her on the show?’”

Kim Jong Kook chimed in, “So if the main MC said that, doesn’t that mean you basically got her in?”

That made Lee Kyung Gyu happy. He grinned and replied, “Exactly! You speak well. Be like him!”

He added, “After that, Jin Kyung’s career took off. She started doing shows with Lee Young Ja and just kept going.”

Fans are now calling Lee Kyung Gyu not only a top MC, but also a quiet star-maker behind the scenes!

Source: [1]