Jeon Yeo-ok and Ahn Chi-hwan also raised a building worth 20 billion won… public sniping

“Left-wing celebrities must have made a lot of money.”
Public sniping of Ahn Chi-hwan, Kim Gyu-ri, and Lee Seung-hwan

Former Saenuri Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok publicly criticized singers Ahn Chi-hwan, Lee Seung-hwan, and actor Kim Gyu-ri, calling them “left-wing celebrities” by their real names.

On the 22nd, Rep. Jeon posted a video called ‘The Golden Age of Leftist Chaebols’ on his YouTube channel ‘Jeon Yeo-ok TV’ and said, “Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun purchased a building worth 7 billion won,” and “Leftists are living in a whine these days.”

This video was produced after news broke that Ddanzi Group Co., Ltd., headed by Mr. Kim, purchased the leased real estate for around 7 billion won. Rep. Jeon asserted, “These days, power, luxurious lifestyles, luxury goods, and foreign cars have become the characteristics of leftists,” adding, “Mr. Kim only wears luxury goods, and his home is a luxurious house.” At the same time, he mentioned Ahn Chi-hwan, Kim Gyu-ri, and Lee Seung-hwan in turn, saying, “From my experience, people who talk about socialism like money more and make it clear.”

Rep. Jeon said, “Don’t you know singer Ahn Chi-hwan?” and “Ahn Chi-hwan is also said to have built a building worth 20 billion won.” He added, “If Kim Gyu-ri had done it right, she was a girl whose name we wouldn’t even know, but because she was a leftist, she was cast here and there and had art exhibitions. She only painted large paintings. In Korea, the price is per issue, so she would have sold quite a bit.”

Regarding Lee Seung-hwan, he said, “He drives around in a Mercedes Benz, T-shirts cost 2 million won, jeans cost 3 million won, and he only wears Ferragamo or Tod’s shoes. He must have made a lot of money.”

However, there are some controversial points in the fact that there are some parts of the former lawmaker’s remarks that have not been fact-checked.

It is known that Ahn Chi-hwan’s building, located in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, was purchased for 5.25 billion won in joint names with his wife in April 2016. There is also a building nearby that was purchased for 2.42 billion won in the joint names of his wife and two children. Ahn Chi-hwan’s building became known in 2022 when suspicions of illegal building construction arose. At the time, Ahn Chi-hwan explained, “The stairs leading down to the basement, which were exposed to the outside, were covered with a roof.”

Before the release of the movie ‘1980’, Kim Gyu-ri complained that she had “never revealed her political background” and was a “victim of the political frame.” Geurim began learning Korean painting after taking on the role of Hyewon Shin Yun-bok in the 2008 movie ‘Beautiful Island’. Since then, he has participated in four solo exhibitions and several group exhibitions, showing medium to large-scale works.

Lee Seung-hwan is known to be close to Joo Jin-woo and Kim, who hosted the podcast ‘I’m a Trickster’. In the past, Mr. Joo said on a broadcast, “Lee Seung-hwan offered to give me his expensive Jeep as a gift, and when he declined, he sold his vehicle at a low price.” However, Lee Seung-hwan released his first album in 1989, and as he was known as a ‘concert sell-out singer’ by releasing many hit songs such as ‘Dunk Shot’, ‘For a Thousand Days’, and ‘Please’, it is said that he made money with a left-wing frame. Some people say, “Isn’t the claim unreasonable?”

Kim So-yeon, Hankyung.com reporter [email protected]