Choi Byung-gil, a producer who posted what seemed like a post targeting his ex-wife Seo Yuri, backed down after a day. Choi earnestly pleaded for the negative messaging to stop so he could earn the money to give to Seo Yuri.
They registered their marriage in 2019 and became a couple, but in 2023 Seo Yuri and producer Choi Byung-gil ultimately became strangers. Recently Seo Yuri 공개하고 최병길 PD를 향해 아직 합의된 재산분할 금액을 받지 못했다며 지급을 독촉했다.
According to the agreement Seo Yuri disclosed, producer Choi Byung-gil must pay Seo Yuri a total of 323 million won as property division by Dec. 31, 2024. If payment is delayed, interest of 12% per year will be added starting Jan. 1, 2025. The agreement also states, "except for 320 million won there shall be no property division due to divorce," and "if Choi Byung-gil violates payment, Seo Yuri may claim the payment through separate litigation."
After more than a year passed past the promised deadline without receiving the agreed property division amount, she took drastic measures. Producer Choi responded. Choi 공개하며 자신의 입장을 밝혔다.
The divorce proposal document Choi 공개한 이혼 협의안 문서에는 최병길 PD가 서유리의 연예 활동을 방해하지 않고 기존에 체결했던 약속에 따라 특정 drama에 서유리를 주조연급 이상으로 grants해야 한다는 내용부터 약속이 지켜지지 않을 경우 최병길 PD가 연출하거나 제작하는 차기작에 반드시 출연시켜야 한다는 조건, 칸 국제 시리즈 페스티별에 동행해야 한다는 조항도 있었다.
Choi said, "The other side continued to defame me after disclosing an agreement that should not have been made public first, so I only made the minimum response," and "besides, the 'promise previously made' is their claim. I was not in a position to promise and have never promised," adding, "they proposed negotiations to me, but casting is not something a director decides alone so I could not keep it, and the Cannes festival is absurd, so I refused. In the end, we had no choice but to conclude the agreement on the condition of adding 60 million won."
Seo Yuri immediately rebutted. She said, "Don't try to muddy the waters with the media. It's only a draft proposal, not the final agreement, right? It's not included in the final agreement. I will整理해서 올리겠습니다," and added, "Why is the tongue of a defaulting debtor so long? How far will this go, thrilling. Don't muddy the waters. That's a draft proposal. It's not the final version. Bring the stamped one."
Seo Yuri captured and disclosed part of her apartment's registration and said, "My perfectly fine apartment's mortgage loans (even from secondary and tertiary financial institutions) began in 2020, but I earned hundreds of millions in 2020, so why would I suddenly take out a mortgage on the apartment? the registration is tattered," and she rebutted Choi's existing claims, saying, "What? All debt from business? Wow, this is really sick of me. Can you cover the sky with your palm?" She then targeted Choi, saying, "You didn't pay a single won but do publicity that you added 60 million. Maybe you should switch careers from directing to marketing. Master of muddying the waters, fully acknowledged."
A day after Seo Yuri's rebuttal, producer Choi backed down. In a post "to Ms. Seo Yuri" he said, "I have never once reneged on my intention to give the settlement after writing the agreement. It's only that I still cannot provide it because I have not been able to generate income due to my lack of ability. As you know better than anyone, this industry is truly governed by image and reputation. Negative messaging toward each other is not good. I only want to quickly make a good project happen and above all promptly pay the settlement," he said.
Choi, who said he blocked contact because he was told to contact through lawyers but failed to do so, pleaded, "I couldn't even afford phone bills so the phone was cut off but the number is still the same and even if the number changes I have no intention of disappearing," and "so please ease up on the negative messaging about me and let the underperforming me have even a chance to get back on his feet in the market so I can pay the settlement, or at least leave me alone."
Despite Choi's plea, Seo Yuri has not yet taken a clear position. It remains to be seen whether Seo Yuri will stop the negative messaging as Choi pleaded or clarify her position further.
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