Actor Lee Seung-gi ends business ties with his father-in-law, following his arrest on accusations of stock market manipulation.
Lee Seung-gi's Family Drama: A storm brews as Lee Hong-heon faces fresh charges
It's been a tumultuous week for South Korean heartthrob Lee Seung-gi, 38, and his wife Lee Da-in, following the arrest of Lee Da-in's dad, Lee Hong-heon, on stock manipulation allegations.
Morning of April 29 unveiled the shocking news of Lee Hong-heon's arrest for his suspected involvement in manipulating the stock market of renewable energy firm Quantapia and violating the Capital Markets Act.
Remember Lee Hong-heon? The bloke who was previously tossed in the slammer for a similar offense back in 2018, earning a four-year stretch behind bars and a hefty fine of 2.5 billion won (about $1.75 million USD)? Well, he managed to dodge that bullet when an appeals court acquitted him in 2019. However, the Supreme Court flipped the script in 2024, overturning the acquittal and putting Lee back in hot water for a retrial.
Now, here we are, back to square one. Lee Hong-heon is back in the clink, and this time around, lives are being shaken up left and right.
Lee Seung-gi, ever the imaginative fellow, and his better half, Lee Da-in, have chosen to cut ties with her family due to the burgeoning scandal. They firmly believe that the trust within their family has been positively irreparable damaged. The power couple expressed regret and offered an apology for any poor judgment they may have made in the past, vowing to uphold solid values and live life responsibly moving forward.
They tied the knot in April 2023 and welcomed their little cherub into the world in February 2024. The duo is determined to focus on rebuilding their family and making a smooth transition back into society.
Here's hoping for better days ahead for all those involved.
Sources: [1] The Korea Herald, [2] Soompi, [3] Hanguk Kyungjae, [4] News1
Additional insights:- Lee Hong-heon was initially convicted of artificially inflating stock prices and sentenced to four years in prison with a fine of 2.5 billion won (around $1.75 million USD) in 2018.- Lee Hong-heon fought the conviction, and an appellate court acquitted him in 2019.- The 2018 conviction was overturned by a retrial ordered by South Korea's Supreme Court in June 2024.- Lee Hong-heon was again arrested in April 2025 on charges related to stock manipulation involving another company.
- Despite the ongoing legal troubles of Lee Hong-heon, Lee Seung-gi and his wife, Lee Da-in, are hopeful for the future, vowing to maintain solid values and live responsibly after undergoing a difficult transition following the arrest.
- The couple, who welcomed their child in 2024, have distance themselves from the Lee family due to the damage caused by the stock manipulation scandal, expressing regret for any poor judgments they may have made.
- The initial conviction of Lee Hong-heon for stock manipulation in 2018 resulted in a four-year prison sentence and a hefty fine, but an appeals court acquitted him in 2019.
- However, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal in 2024, ordering a retrial that put Lee Hong-heon back in prison, creating a turbulent week for the heartthrob Lee Seung-gi and his family.
