Jinho Lee Accumulates Hundreds of Millions in Debt Due to 'Illegal Gambling'
Fellow Entertainers Who Lent Money Also Suffer Financial Losses
"I Will Cooperate Fully with Police Investigation and Face the Consequences"
Broadcaster Lee Jin-ho (left) and BTS member Jimin. [Photo by Lee Jin-ho and Jimin Instagram capture]
Broadcaster Lee Jin-ho's debt of hundreds of millions of won due to illegal gambling has come to light, and it is reported that fellow celebrities who lent him money, including BTS member Jimin, have also suffered financial losses.
On the 14th, Ten Asia reported, "BTS member Jimin, broadcaster Lee Soo-geun, singers Youngtak and Ha Sung-woon lent Lee Jin-ho hundreds of millions of won." According to the media, Lee Jin-ho caused damages of 100 million won to Jimin in 2022 and at least tens of millions of won to Lee Soo-geun, who appears with him on the JTBC variety show 'Knowing Bros.' Some celebrities reportedly lost contact with Lee Jin-ho after lending him money. It is said that even some broadcasting executives, PDs, and writers lent urgent funds and have not been repaid.
Following the report, Jimin's agency Big Hit Music stated, "It is true that Jimin suffered financial damage," and added, "Jimin lent money to Lee Jin-ho after signing an IOU."
Lee Jin-ho is known to have borrowed money from them with false excuses such as "I urgently need money due to my parents' situation" and "I need money to pay taxes." Some of the victims plan to file fraud charges against Lee Jin-ho and apply for seizure of his appearance fees.
Earlier, Lee Jin-ho personally confessed to illegal gambling through his social media (SNS) on the same day. He opened up, saying, "In 2020, by chance, I started playing on an illegal internet gambling site and ended up with debts I could not handle." He added, "I promise to repay the debts left to me no matter what happens. I sincerely apologize to many people who were disappointed by me for causing social controversy and trying to hide it," and stated, "I will also cooperate fully with the police investigation and pay the price for my mistakes."
Lee Jin-ho debuted in 2005 as a comedian through SBS's special recruitment and became known by appearing in public comedy shows such as SBS's 'Gag Concert,' MBC's 'Ha-tang-sa,' tvN's 'Comedy Big League,' and variety programs like JTBC's 'Knowing Bros.' He was scheduled to attend the production presentation for Netflix's new variety show 'Comedy Revenge' on the morning of the same day but did not attend. Since Lee Jin-ho's confession of illegal gambling came just before the 'Comedy Revenge' production presentation, he could not avoid criticism that he was a "nuisance even before the program started."
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