Just last week, Korean entertainment agency Hook Entertainment suddenly deposited 4.81 billion won (approximately $3.8 million) in a bank account connected to actor Lee Seung Gi, weeks after the actor learned the agency had defrauded him out of profits from his music over at least 18 years of being represented by them.
According to a representative for Lee Seung Gi, however, there is still a significant amount of money owed to the actor by the entertainment agency, and that is why he has now suing Hook Entertainment for fraud and embezzlement.
The people named in the suit are the agency’s CEO, Kwon Jin Young, along with three current/former board of directors’ members.
Lee Seung Gi’s lawsuit against Hook Entertainment was filed this week after he and his representatives learned the agency themselves had filed a lawsuit on the confirmation of non-existence of debt against the actor.
His lawsuit, therefore, is a counter lawsuit against Hook Entertainment that will not only claim potentially billions more won in unpaid music and modeling fees, but also compensation for damages.
With information coming out so far, however, it appears quite likely Lee Seung Gi will be the final winner here and Hook Entertainment not only the potential loser, but also an agency with their reputation now completely trashed.
After all, not only did Hook Entertainment tell Lee Seung Gi for more than a decade that the enormous amount of music he had released had earned him no money whatseover, they also called him a ‘minus singer’, ie: a singer that had supposedly cost the agency money rather than made money for them.
A label and a lie Lee Seung Gi was forced to live with for 18 years.
Hook Entertainment then allegedly threatened him and members of his staff when they were approached for payment of what was owed to him.
With the agency’s payment of 4.81 billion won last week, it now appears they have admitted Lee Seung Gi’s music earned him billions of won. Money that, it seems, Hook Entertainment CEO and some board members wanted to keep for themselves.
Meanwhile, the South Korean Severe Crime Investigation Division of the National Police Agency is also investigating some Hook Entertainment executives for embezzlement and other potential crimes.
As for Lee Seung Gi, while he is continuing to legally go after Hook Entertainment for every won he is owed, he also commented on his Instagram account last week that he would donate any money he received from the agency to charity.
“If the 500 billion won I received today can be used for people who are experiencing more difficulties than me, the happiness and value I feel would be far more than the 500 billion. Starting next week, we will meet with people involved in charitable donations, and prepare a specific plan.
There are many people who cannot even move because they are so ill. There are many people who have big dreams. Dreams they give up because of their lousy lives. There are people who cannot take the right measures when their lives are in danger. 500 billion won may not be enough to help everyone, but I will at least take this small step.”
Proving, yet again, what a good guy Lee Seung Gi is as, remember, this isn’t free money, it is billions of won he was legitimately owed for his own work.