'Debt Investment Controversy' Lee Young-sook, 'Black and White Chef' Appearance Fee Seized

Creditor Side, "Borrowed 100 Million Won 14 Years Ago and Hasn't Repaid"
Representative Lee's Agent, "Partially Repaid but Differences in Positions"

Lee Young-sook, the representative of Nakyeong Mushroom Farm who appeared on Netflix's 'Black and White Chef: The Culinary Class War' (hereinafter 'Black and White Chef'), has been embroiled in allegations of borrowing 100 million won from an acquaintance and not repaying it, and it has been revealed that her appearance fees have been seized.

Chef Lee Young-sook featured in 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War'. [Source=Netflix]

According to a YTN report on the 6th, the Nonsan Branch of the Daejeon District Court accepted the creditor's application on the 1st to seize and collect the appearance fees of Lee by filing a claim against the production company of 'Black and White Chef.'

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Maeil Shinmun reported that Lee had borrowed 100 million won from an acquaintance, Mr. Jo, in April 2010 and wrote an IOU but had not repaid it for 14 years. According to the report, Lee had won the Presidential Award for shiitake mushroom dishes at the time and was preparing a local restaurant with Mr. Jo, who was the head of a shiitake mushroom-related cooperative. She specified in the IOU, which was due in April 2011, that "this money will be used for the purchase price of a factory site under a government support project." However, despite the repayment date arriving, Lee did not repay the money, and Mr. Jo passed away in July 2011, three months after the due date.

Later, while organizing Mr. Jo's belongings, his family found the IOU in his wallet and filed a civil lawsuit against Lee. In 2012, the court ruled that "Lee must pay the money calculated at an annual interest rate of 8.45% from May 1, 2011, to May 24, 2012, and 20% annually from the following day." However, as Lee claimed she had no money and did not repay, Mr. Jo's family placed a provisional seizure on land she owned and recovered about 19 million won through auction. They then demanded repayment of the remaining amount, but Lee did not respond. Later, she appeared on 'Hansik Daecheop 2' in 2014 and received 100 million won as prize money. Nevertheless, Mr. Jo's family, still unpaid, applied for seizure and collection of claims at the court in 2018, and although the court accepted it, Lee has not repaid to this day.

Mr. Jo's side stated, "Apart from the 100 million won written in the IOU, my father paid about 50 million won on behalf of Lee through joint guarantee," adding, "Since they wouldn't even pay the 100 million won, we did not file a claim for subrogation for the 50 million won. The statute of limitations for the subrogation claim (10 years) expired in October last year." They further added, "The amount Lee currently owes our family, including interest, exceeds 300 million won, and this time she upset people again by appearing on 'Black and White Chef'." At the time, Lee's representative said, "There is a difference in positions. It is true that Lee borrowed money, but some of it has been repaid. We plan to organize this matter with a lawyer this week." However, no clear statement has been made since then.