Entertainment · Celebrity · 4 hrs ago
Kim Dong-hyun buys Seoul apartment for 100 billion won
Kim Dong-hyun bought an apartment in Seoul’s Apgujeong district for 100 billion won.
The former mixed martial arts fighter and TV personality completed the purchase of a 182-square-metre unit in the Shinhyundai 12 complex in October.
He borrowed about 50 billion won directly from the sellers, using a method known as seller financing, while the rest may have come from his own funds.
The sellers registered mortgages on the apartment to secure the loans.
Kim had previously said he was renting an apartment in Seoul’s Banpo district and regretted missing an earlier rise in home prices.
The building is part of a major redevelopment area where plans call for a complex of up to 66 storeys and 2,381 homes.
The seller-financed deal has drawn public attention partly because South Korean President Lee Jae-myung used a similar arrangement when selling his own apartment.
It is not known whether Kim will move into the apartment.
Former mixed martial arts fighter and broadcaster Kim Dong-hyun bought an apartment in Seoul’s Apgujeong neighbourhood for 10 billion won.
About 5 billion won of the purchase price was reportedly borrowed directly from the sellers through seller financing.
The 182-square-metre apartment is in the Shin Hyundai 12 complex in Gangnam district.
Kim signed the purchase contract on September 23 and completed payment and ownership registration on October 21.
The transaction prompted online comments comparing it with President Lee Jae-myung’s use of seller financing when he sold an apartment in July.
- Who
- Kim Dong-hyun, a former mixed martial arts fighter and broadcaster.
- What
- He bought a 182-square-metre apartment for 10 billion won, reportedly borrowing about 5 billion won from the sellers.
- When
- He signed the contract on September 23, 2026, and completed payment on October 21.
- Where
- The Shin Hyundai 12 apartment complex in Apgujeong, Gangnam district, Seoul.
- Why
- Not stated.
Critics of the transaction
Defenders of the transaction
Fairness
Critics of the transaction
Some online commenters criticised the use of private lending to get around limits on housing loans, especially while ordinary buyers face borrowing restrictions.
Defenders of the transaction
Other commenters said the transaction was not illegal and questioned why a public figure should be expected to accept a financial disadvantage.
Public scrutiny
Critics of the transaction
Some commenters argued that celebrities should be held to account for such deals.
Defenders of the transaction
Others said the criticism should instead focus on the government’s rules, noting that the president had used a similar arrangement.
President Lee Jae-myung and his wife sold their apartment in Seongnam for 2.9 billion won, using a mortgage arrangement with the buyer.
Kim signed a contract to buy a 182-square-metre apartment in Apgujeong for 10 billion won.
Kim paid the remaining amount and completed the transfer of ownership.
News reports on Kim’s purchase and seller financing prompted online discussion comparing it with the president’s transaction.
- Purchase price
- 10 billion won
- Apartment
- Shin Hyundai 12, Apgujeong, Seoul
- Apartment size
- 182 square metres
- Seller financing
- About 5 billion won, according to reports
- Registered mortgage claims
- Four claims totalling 6 billion won in maximum secured amounts
- Reconstruction plan
- Up to 66 floors and 2,381 homes in Apgujeong District 2
3 sources
What people are saying
I got off that train for a while. I looked elsewhere briefly, and then house prices shot up.
The president does it, so what is the problem?
A public figure should not have to live at a loss; it is not illegal.