Actor Lee Hae-in confessed to financial difficulty after purchasing a building worth about 4 billion won, but she has instead faced criticism calling her a "livelihood-type landlord" pleading for sympathy.
On the 15th, Lee Hae-in posted on her personal social media, "Monthly interest 12,000,000 won, monthly rent 6,000,000 won. If it were you, would you hang on or sell?"
Earlier she said that in February she took a loan of 3.2 billion won to buy a 4 billion won building. In that process she described herself as a "livelihood-type landlord," saying, "Debt is part of my life and an investment in my life."
But just a month later she revealed her current condition of struggling with high interest. This sparked a heated debate among internet users.
Many internet users responded with cynical remarks such as, "Then sell the building," "Calling yourself a livelihood-type landlord, does that make sense?", "Ordinary people can't get that loan even if they want to." Because Lee Hae-in took on the loan leveraging her fame as an actor, critics say she should endure the consequences of an investment choice rather than plead to be a "livelihood-type landlord." In particular, the loan size, which is practically impossible for average citizens, appears to fuel resentment.
On the other hand, some sympathized with the economic anxiety over the building's vacancy rate itself. Lee Hae-in said the building's occupancy rate is around 50% and confessed, "Currently only half of the rentals are occupied," "I have to fill 6,000,000 won each month from my own pocket," and "There are six vacancies, honestly it's scary."
At one point Lee Hae-in also asked, "If anyone around is looking for commercial space, please contact me via DM or email." A few responses sympathized with the concrete economic anxiety over her livelihood, saying, "Not all landlords are bad people," and "If there are many vacancies, I'd be worried too."
Despite the debate, Lee Hae-in ultimately did not give up being a "landlord," even if as a livelihood. She added, "I will continue to publicly share the process of filling vacancies," showing determination. It remains to be seen whether Lee Hae-in's plea as a "livelihood-type landlord" will resonate with internet users, or whether she will succeed in securing stable livelihood and emerge as a successful real estate investor.
[photo] OSEN database, SNS source.
[OSEN]