Hyeri Faces Real Estate Speculation Backlash – “Did She Learn From Ryu Jun-yeol?”

According to a June 2 report from News1, Hyeri currently owns two buildings in affluent districts of Gangnam, Seoul one in Samseong and another in Yeoksam. What’s sparked debate is not just the ownership itself, but the method of acquisition.

Hyeri reportedly purchased an old residential building in Samseong in August 2022 under the name of a family-run company for 7.75 billion won. After tearing it down, she rebuilt a six-story commercial building with two underground floors and is now seeking tenants at 400 million won deposit and 30 million won (~$22,000 USD) monthly rent. Real estate experts predict she could pocket 3 billion won in profit if the building is sold within three years.

A similar story surrounds her 2020 purchase of another old property in Yeoksam, again via her own company. That building, bought for 4.39 billion won, has since been rebuilt and now boasts an estimated value over 10 billion won.

While some people defend her actions by saying, “It’s her money, she can invest however she likes,” others criticize her for taking advantage of legal grey areas—setting up a shell company to avoid paying higher taxes and to secure better loan terms, benefits that ordinary people don’t have access to. One commenter online slammed her, saying, “This is classic real estate speculation. Celebrities already earn millions, yet they’re still distorting the housing market to make even more.”

The criticism escalated when some netizens suggested she may have learned this strategy from Ryu Jun-yeol, her former partner.

Ryu Jun-yeol, in 2022, was exposed by Dispatch for using a similar strategy: he formed a private company with his mother as the nominal head, bought land in Yeoksam, took out bank loans under corporate terms, and rebuilt the property into a high-rise. He reportedly stood to gain a 4 billion won post-tax profit. Despite his agency C-Jes Entertainment claiming it was “just a business with friends,” the public wasn’t convinced.

Now, as Hyeri faces similar accusations, many are questioning whether celebrity real estate speculation has become a widespread tactic in the industry.

• I can’t believe Hyeri of all people is doing this.
• Ryu Jun-yeol déjà vu, honestly.
• Celebs keep profiting while regular people can’t even dream of buying a home.
• Don’t trust a celebrity’s image—they’re all playing the same game.

With property prices soaring, and public trust eroding, the calls for legal reform and tighter regulations are growing louder. Whether Hyeri responds remains to be seen—but for now, the damage to her public image may already be done.