Seo Hyun-jin almost didn’t get her 2.6 billion won deposit back.
This incident has people asking again, “Why Villa again?”

Actress Seo Hyun-jin became a victim of a jeonse scam at a luxury villa in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam.The jeonse contract alone was 2.6 billion won.The appraised value is 2.874 billion won, but the auction failed once, and the lowest bid fell to 2.299 billion won.She will only be able to get her jeonse deposit back if it sells for more than 2.6 billion won at the auction scheduled for the 17th.In the meantime, Seo Hyun-jin has moved into an apartment in her own name in Oksu-dong.

So then, why do celebrities insist on living in ‘villas’ ?

First, it’s quiet.
In an apartment, there are many people, and you never know who will get on the elevator.But villas are different.There are fewer households, and outsiders rarely come in.You can be assured of a quiet daily life without having to meet fans or reporters.For celebrities, ‘privacy’ is like survival.This condition alone makes villas an attractive choice.

Second, it becomes a ‘psychological refuge’.
Stars who have to live in front of the public want to distance themselves from the world at home.Living in a quiet, unobtrusive place.It is not a simple residence, but a concept closer to a ‘hideaway’.If an apartment is a ‘social space’, a villa is a ‘psychological private space’.

Third, the structure of the world itself is right.
Celebrities have irregular schedules and move around frequently.If they buy an apartment to live in, they will also have to pay taxes.On the other hand, if they rent a luxury villa, they can enjoy a spacious and quiet home without taxes.In an industry where income is high but uncertainty is high, a ‘rental villa’ is a cost-effective option.

But here’s the problem: Villa is opaque.
Apartment prices are public and the resident community is active, so it is easy to identify risk factors in advance.However, villas are secretive.Actual transaction information is limited, and the financial status of the landlord or registration information is not well revealed.This gap is exploited by ‘rental fraud.’ Celebrities are no exception.

Seo Hyun-jin also had to complete the lease registration and go through the legal process of applying for a forced auction.She wanted a ‘quiet house’, but instead, she ended up with a huge risk called the deposit.Behind the star’s quiet daily life, such fatal anxiety was hidden.



Reporter Yang com -mo hmyang0307@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.