Lee Seung Gi defends marriage to Lee Da In amid public disapproval: 'I do not ask for you to bless [our] marriage'
South Korean singer and actor Lee Seung Gi has broken his silence amid the controversies surrounding his relationship with his former agency Hook Entertainment, his marriage to Lee Da In, and more.
Seung Gi opened his two-part statement sharing how he received an overwheming support from the public after donating all of the five billion won (P200 million) of unpaid earnings he received from his former management.
That all seemed to change when he announced his marriage to Da In, who he had been dating since the end of 2020.
"After announcing my marriage to my wife Lee Da In, the atmosphere was reversed. However, it doesn’t matter. Donations and kind comments are separate because I did not donate to earn the support of the public," Seung Gi wrote.
Seung Gi also talked about the issue surrounding Da In and her family, who were involved in a stock manipulation scandal years ago. While the court found that Mi Ri herself was not guilty of the crime, Seung Gi's fans still didn't want him to be in a relationship with Da In as it may smear his reputation as an actor without any controversies under his name.
He underscored, "I always believed the masses were right. If the crowd hates it, there's a reason. But there are times when it's unfair. For example, when the public is misinformed."
He then went on to clear up a headline that he deemed was spreading misinformation.
"'Embezzled 26 billion won [approximately $19,641,500] through stock price manipulation and mass produced 300,000 victims?' This is clear misinformation. I don’t know where these reporters and YouTubers collected this information, but it is completely groundless content," he wrote.
"Lee Da In’s parents have filed a complaint to the Press Arbitration Commission against the five media outlets that reported this news. The reporters could not prove anything. And the Press Arbitration Commission has requested corrective reports from these outlets," he added.
Seung Gi also addressed reports that he used product placements during his wedding last April 7, writing, "It is my knowledge that most people are holding weddings using their own expenses. I also wanted to personally treat my guests to a good meal and express my gratitude without sponsorships."
He called out a reporter for not contacting him or his agency first to fact-check the story. Seung Gi said that the reporter explained that controversial articles "can get a lot of views." "'That's why they don't call to write articles,'" the reporter added.
He then calls for the media to reach out to his management moving forward before writing articles.
With regards to his strained relationship with his former agency, Seung Gi revealed that Hook Entertainment's director attempted to intimidate him by saying that a reporter was investigating Lee Da In's father. While the controversial story was resolved, they had a hard time preventing the article from being published.
However, after Seung Gi coincidentally met the said reporter, it was revealed that Hook Entertainment requested that they smear the reputation of Lee Da In’s father.
"Hook kept me in line like that," he wrote.
In the second statement that the actor published, he took the time to apologize to his fans who were "very hurt" by his decision to marry Da In despite the controversies surrounding her family, but that he would still abide by his choice to be with the one he loves.
"I bow my head in apology. 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?" he wrote.
He stressed, "We will keep this resolution regardless of malicious comments."
He then went on to express his gratitude to those who came to their wedding and shared that they plan to donate their congratulatory money to underprivileged children.
"I’ve had a really hard time due to news mixed with mockery and degradation. On top of that, seeing malicious comments give strength to fake news made me discouraged. 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," Seung Gi ended.
Seung Gi was managed by Hook from 2004 to 2022. A legal feud between them arose when Seung Gi claimed that he was not paid any talent fee in his 18 years working as a singer. After filing a complaint, his agency then gave him his unpaid music fees totaling to five billion won.
He married Da In on April 7, 2023 at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Gangnam. Some of the big names who attended were Tale of the Nine-Tailed star Lee Dong Wook, Reply 1988 star Lee Dong-hwi, Hospital Playlist star Ahn Eun Jin, and W star Han Hyo Joo, among others.