Exclusive
Actor Lee Jung-jae becomes owner of buildings worth 55 billion won, 10 billion won more than his 'Squid Game' prize money

[비즈한국] BizHankook exclusively reports that actor Lee Jung-jae, who rose to global stardom after appearing in the Netflix original series "Squid Game," has purchased a building in Cheongdam-dong for 22 billion won. Lee is currently awaiting the release of "Squid Game Season 2."

Actor Lee Jung-jae has become the owner of buildings worth 55 billion won, which is about 10 billion won more than the 45.6 billion won prize money he won in "Squid Game." According to real estate registration records, Lee purchased a building in Cheongdam-dong with two basement levels and six floors above ground for 22 billion won on June 28 under the name of his private company, Venapictures. Including another building in Cheongdam-dong that he bought jointly with actor Jung Woo-sung three years ago for 33 billion won, he has effectively become a building owner with a portfolio worth 55 billion won.

The building Lee Jung-jae purchased for 22 billion won through his private company Venapictures is located between Hakdong Intersection and Cheongdam Intersection, with a land area of 315.3㎡ (95 pyeong) and a total floor area of 1136.51㎡ (344 pyeong). In terms of land value alone, excluding the building, it was traded at 230 million won per 3.3㎡ (1 pyeong). Completed in 2015, the building is used for various purposes: the second basement level (140.77㎡) as a "mechanical room," the first basement level (208.88㎡) as a "fitness center," the first floor (151.39㎡) as a "refreshment restaurant," the second floor (143.76㎡) as a "retail store," and the third through sixth floors as "offices."

Lee Jung-jae signed the real estate sales contract on April 11, and upon paying the balance on June 28, he completed the ownership transfer and received a real estate mortgage loan from a commercial bank with a maximum bond amount of 20.4 billion won. On the day of the real estate contract, Lee added "real estate leasing" to the business objectives of Venapictures. The original primary business objectives of Venapictures included "entertainment planning," "management business," "production and domestic/international sales of broadcast programs," and "purchase and supply of copyrights for overseas films, animations, and broadcast programs."

Venapictures is currently headed by Lee Jung-jae as CEO, and its headquarters is located at Lee's residence, the Hyundai Apartment in Cheongdam-dong. From August 2016 to April 2019, Kim Jae-wook, former CEO of Vidente121800, served as the CEO of Venapictures. Vidente is the largest shareholder of Bithumb Holdings, the parent company of the cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, holding a 34% stake.