Lee Seung Gi filed a legal complaint against the CEO of Hook Entertainment (Hook) as well as the former and current directors of the agency.
On December 22, Lee Seung Gi’s lawyer released a lengthy statement regarding their legal complaint. They stated, “This morning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, we filed a complaint against the CEO of Hook Entertainment as well as the former and current directors [of the agency].”
They continued, “As has been reported many times before, Hook was hiding the fact that music profits were generated by Lee Seung Gi for approximately 18 years after his debut, and they did not pay [Lee Seung Gi]. In this regard, we filed a legal complaint against Hook Entertainment CEO Kwon Jin Young and CFO for suspected violations of the Enhanced Penalty Act, etc. for specific economic crimes (professional embezzlement) and (fraud).
In addition, Lee Seung Gi learned through a recent report that Hook’s former and current directors cheated him and also failed to pay a portion of his advertising model’s profits. His lawyer stated, “Lee Seung Gi believed that approximately 10 percent was paid to the advertising agency under the title of ‘agency commission,’ but it appears that in fact the former and current directors of Hook Entertainment did not pay the agency portion. commission to an advertising agency and [instead] split it between themselves.”
It was only when Lee Seung Gi raised this issue that Hook Entertainment acknowledged it and paid Lee Seung Gi approximately 630 million won (approximately $500,000). Lee Seung Gi’s lawyer said they were suing Kwon Jin Young and the three directors for fraud and professional embezzlement.
They continued, “Lee Seung Gi never reached an agreement with Hook regarding music fees and payments. Despite this, on the morning of December 16, 2022, Hook transferred about 4.81 billion won (approximately $3.8 million) of outstanding music and embezzled advertising payments without notice and filed a non-existence of debt lawsuit against Lee Seung Gi. .” The legal representative added that Lee Seung Gi learned about it through a new report and has yet to receive the complaint.
Furthermore, there is a significant difference between the amount that was transferred and the amount that Lee Seung Gi understands as the unpaid amount. The attorney stated, “While we are simultaneously responding to the claim for non-debt, we will file a counterclaim and plan to seek damages against Hook and related employees for unpaid music fees and wrongful conduct.”
Previously, Hook Entertainment reported that the agency transferred to Lee Seung Gi his unpaid earnings of 2.9 billion won (approximately $2.2 million), as well as delayed interest worth 1.2 billion won (approximately $900,000). Afterwards, Lee Seung Gi took to Instagram to share that he is donating all of his unpaid earnings except for legal fees.