Controversy Over "Poverty Cosplay" After Building Ownership Revealed
"I Personally Managed the Rooftop Due to My Father's Health Issues"
Actor Goh Sung Hwan has confirmed that he is indeed the owner of the villa he currently resides in, located in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Goh introduced himself as a tenant paying monthly rent at this villa on a TV program, but suspicions arose regarding his ownership of the building, leading to public scrutiny. Goh clarified that although he received the building as a gift from his father, he pays monthly rent and stated, "I have never pretended to be poor."
Actor Gong Seonghwan became a topic of conversation for his "poverty cosplay." Screenshot from MBC variety show "I Live Alone."
On August 12, Goh uploaded a video to his YouTube channel titled, "After the broadcast, many people sent me DMs (direct messages) asking, 'Why are you, not the landlord, personally handling the rooftop repairs and wallpapering?' Let me explain everything."
Previously, Goh gained significant popularity after revealing his rooftop villa life on the MBC variety show "I Live Alone." More recently, he shared that water leaks had caused stains and mold on the master bedroom wall, leaving the room in disarray, which drew sympathy from viewers. The broadcast also showed Goh himself waterproofing the rooftop and wallpapering the master bedroom.
After the broadcast, some questioned, "Why doesn't he have the landlord take care of the repairs?" Later, it was revealed that Goh had received the villa as a gift from his father, which sparked controversy that he was engaging in "poverty cosplay"-pretending to be less well-off than he actually is.
In response, Goh said, "Every time I'm on TV, there are constant rumors about whether I'm the landlord or building owner," and explained, "This building was indeed my father's. I received it as a gift around 2021, and of course, I paid all the gift taxes myself. I didn't want to go into my personal history or background on TV, so I glossed over it, not realizing it would become such a big issue."
He continued, "My father's health is not good, so I take care of the rooftop. The rumors about us owning multiple buildings are completely untrue; we simply converted the family home we've lived in since childhood into a villa." He added, "I received the building in advance because of my father's health, but I still pay monthly rent to my father without fail."
Addressing the criticism that he was "cosplaying poverty," Goh said, "I've never pretended to be poor on TV. The actual floor area is 18 pyeong (about 59.5 square meters), and including the outside, it's about 20 pyeong (about 66 square meters)." He emphasized, "Why would I go out of my way to pretend to be poor? Even during filming, I spend what I need, eat well, and enjoy myself. I've never once acted poor."
Meanwhile, Goh Sung Hwan made his debut in the 2004 film "Low Life." Since then, he has appeared in films such as "Fighter in the Wind" and dramas including "Designated Survivor: 60 Days," "Stove League," and "Jirisan."
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