Why SHINee’s Key Is Getting Backlash for Revealing His Home “Are All Celebrities Supposed to Be Rich?”
On a recent episode of MBC’s “I Live Alone“, Key gave viewers a look into his newly moved-in residence. The spacious living room, clean furniture and sleek, well-organized kitchen drew admiration from viewers. His home is located in UN Village, Hannam-dong a luxury 80-pyeong apartment with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It is known that only 8 households live in this place, and the property is reportedly valued at the high end of 6 billion KRW.
A wide view of the Han River could be seen through the windows, and sunlight poured endlessly into the living room, catching the eye. MC Park Na-rae remarked, “This is definitely Top 3 when it comes to views.” During the episode, Key also showed how he created a cozy terrace for his dogs, buying camping gear and a gas grill for the space. Sharing his thoughts about the home, Key said, “Ever since I lived with my parents, I believed a house should be my sanctuary, fortress, amusement park, restaurant and bar — all in one. If you can feel all those things separately, that’s what living well means.” The episode reached a peak rating of 8.2% and finished with a nationwide rating of 3.9%, making it the most-watched program on Friday.
As more celebrities showcase their extravagant homes, viewers have started to express concerns about a lack of relatability. Netizens noted that recent home reveals feel unrealistic compared to the more grounded appearances in the past — such as those by Yuk Joong-wan, Defconn and Kian84. Now, shows are frequently featuring unattainable homes like footballer Hwang Hee-chan’s three-story house, Henry’s home in Toronto (Canada), SHINee’s Taemin’s house, BTS’s J-Hope’s residence and Park Na-rae’s home — drawing envy and discomfort among viewers. However, others are voicing support, acknowledging that celebrities have earned their wealth and deserve recognition for their financial success.
Online reactions varied widely, “Why bother worrying about celebrities?”, “They bought a big house with their own money, who cares?”, “I’m jealous”, “These luxury homes keep popping up, sometimes I skip the show after watching the preview”, “I love seeing big, fancy houses what’s the problem?”, “I miss Yuk Joong-wan”, “Are all celebrities rich?” and “This brings me back to harsh reality.”
