[DiaryPoint = Reporter Park Bo-young] Reports said on the 12th that actor Kim Seung-woo had been accused of taking 22 million won in cash from an acquaintance. A representative of his agency acknowledged that a complaint had been filed, saying, “We don’t know the exact circumstances of the case” and “We’ll comment after checking.” News1 reported that Kim’s legal representative said there was no intent to steal.
According to reports, the complainant, identified as A, alleges that Kim took cash from A’s wallet at an entertainment bar in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in October 2021. A reportedly filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul in July. MediaFine reported that A invested in The Driver, a drama directed by Kim, and attended a drinking gathering with the production staff and cast.
A says they were introduced to Kim around 2019 and became close in 2020. A also alleges that Kim had used A’s money on previous occasions and received several warnings, but similar incidents continued. According to MediaFine, A claims that the cash disappeared from the wallet while A briefly stepped away during the gathering, and that a subsequent request for its return went unanswered.
Reports say Kim’s side described taking the money as a prank and said it was later returned. His legal representative told the newspaper Ilyo Shinmun, “He playfully hid it while several people were there, then returned it.” The representative also said Kim and A had planned to play golf the following day, October 30, 2021, but A did not come to pick him up; Kim’s side said it then repaid an amount greater than the sum in question. A says the money was never returned, leaving the two accounts at odds over whether repayment took place.
The two sides also give different accounts of their financial dealings. MediaFine reported that Kim’s side cited bank transfer records as evidence of repayment, while A countered that the transfers involved earlier investment funds and agreed returns, or separate financial transactions, and were unrelated to the 22 million won at issue. The nature of the reported transfers and whether the money was returned at the time remain points in the investigation.
Kim’s agency said it is working to establish the circumstances. An investigation is underway following the filing of a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station.