To refresh your memory, back in 2021 Soompi reported that according to news outlet Sports Kyunghyang, Lee Seung Gi and Lee Da In had been dating since the end of 2020, and they supposedly bonded over their love for golf. Their relationship reveal faced immediate backlash due to Da In's mother, veteran actress and singer Kyun Mi Ri, and her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scandal years ago.
In 1998, Mi Ri got remarried to businessman Lee Hong Heon, and in 2009 The Chosun Ilbo listed her as one of the biggest stockholders in the Korean entertainment industry.
However, in 2018, Mi Ri's husband was sentenced to four years of imprisonment after "manipulating stock prices with false disclosures" from 2014 to 2016, per Soompi. He allegedly gained 1.5 billion won (around P64 million at the time) and he used his wife's name and popularity to draw investors. According to the Seoul Southern District Court and the actress herself, Mi Ri was not involved in the scheme.
Despite Mi Ri denying her involvement in the scandal, netizens believed Seung Gi's relationship with Da In would ruin his clean image as a veteran Hallyu superstar—he had been in the industry for nearly two decades without controversy, and fans actually urged the actor to reconsider the relationship.
The Korea Times reported that fans sent a protest truck to his house in Seoul: "It is okay that you didn't know. But now you should know. They turned so many people into victims." Despite this, the couple's relationship stayed strong and Seung Gi even gave a low-key shoutout to Da In during his acceptance speech at the 2021 SBS Entertainment Awards.
In June 2022, Seung Gi also spoke up to deny breakup rumors. Fast forward to April 7, 2023, and the couple have now tied the knot. Yet negative comments have still been shared on social media even days after the wedding, and after dealing with pregnancy rumors it seems like the newlyweds have had enough.
Seung Gi took to Instagram to share a lengthy statement. As per Soompi, in his first IG post the actor spoke about the positive response he received from the public after donating all of his unpaid earnings, which he won after a legal back-and-forth with former agency Hook Entertainment. "[Last December] Many people gave me support and courage. For about two months, I lived surrounded by praise. After announcing my marriage to my wife Lee Da In, the atmosphere was reversed." Lee Seung Gi clarified, "I always believe that the public is right. If the public doesn’t like something, there’s a reason. But occasionally, there are times when it’s unfair. For example, I mean when the public is misinformed."
Seung Gi went on to clear up misinformation:
- His parents-in-law have filed a complaint to the Press Arbitration Commission against the five media outlets that reported they had embezzled 26 billion won (approximately P1 billion) through stock price manipulation.
- He denied using PPL (product placement) during his wedding: "I wanted to personally treat my guests to a good meal and express my gratitude without sponsorships."
- According to Seung Gi, Hook Entertainment went behind his back to use the media to slander his father-in-law's name. Describing the agency's gaslighting as "Hook-lighting," he commented, "Hook kept me in line like that."
- For future articles, he requested that the media contact his agency or his manager of 10 years before releasing stories that could easily be verified first.
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In part two of his statement, Seung Gi talked directly to his fans. He apologized for their hurt feelings due to the "flood of articles" on alleged issues concerning his in-laws. "Even my close acquaintances suggested breaking up, saying, 'Think of your image.' I felt frustrated. My wife did not choose her parents…so how can I say we should break up because of her parents' issues?"
The veteran emcee also shared of a promise he made to his wife before and after their marriage: "In the future, let’s live while paying back." Seung Gi pledged to support places that are in great need of assistance, regardless of malicious comments. To show his gratitude, he revealed that they would be donating all of the congratulatory money given as wedding gifts as "a support fund for underprivileged children."
Seung Gi has been a celebrity for 20 years, so he acknowledged that people might use these posts as a basis for even more malicious articles. Despite that, he decided to speak up because of all the negativity he and Da In have had to deal with since their dating news first broke. "I've had a really hard time due to news mixed with mockery and degradation...I do not ask for you to bless Lee Seung Gi's marriage. Just please watch over us. I will live and share with Lee Da In. I believe that is the best that I can do."
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Read the full statement here.