[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] As instability in the real estate market persists and polarization deepens, celebrities’ real estate assets are drawing attention as their fortunes vary widely depending on location and the timing of their purchases.

According to a recent report by the YouTube channel “Wonder Planet,” the current market value of “Heukseok Mark Hills” (exclusive area: 275 m² / approx. 85 pyeong), a Han River-view apartment in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, owned by Daesung, is estimated at approximately 10 billion won. Daesung purchased this apartment in 2015 for approximately 1.55 billion won, and in just over a decade, its value has risen to about seven times the original purchase price.
Daesung is well known for his successful real estate investments. In addition to Heukseok Mark Hills, a building he purchased in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for 30 billion won in 2017 is reportedly now valued at over 90 billion won.
Actor Park Jeong-soo’s successful real estate investment is also noteworthy. The current market value of the building Park Jeong-soo owns on Apgujeong Rodeo Street in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is approximately 23 billion won. He purchased this building in 2005, and industry sources estimate he acquired it for about 2.8 billion won, based on market prices at the time. Its value has since risen by approximately 20 billion won.
A building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, purchased by actor Jang Hyuk in 2015 for 15.5 billion won, is currently estimated to be worth approximately 28.6 billion won. Similarly, a building in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, purchased by singer Lee Seung-cheol in 2011 for 4.964 billion won, was recently appraised at approximately 17.4 billion won.
However, there have also been cases where owners faced bitter outcomes. As rising benchmark interest rates coincided with a slump in commercial districts, commercial buildings purchased with loans in the tens of billions of won have become “white elephants.” Shin Hye-sung of the group Shinhwa purchased a small office building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for 4.9 billion won in 2022 and recently sold it for 5.55 billion won. While it may appear that he made a capital gain of several hundred million won, the real estate industry assesses that he effectively sold the property at a loss when factoring in the costs of remodeling and expansion work carried out after the purchase, as well as registration taxes and interest paid to the bank over the period. MC Mong reportedly sold a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul—which he had purchased from TV personality Kang Ho-dong for 16.6 billion won last November—to Noh Hong-chul for 15.2 billion won. Based solely on the sale price, this represents a loss of approximately 1.4 billion won.
On his YouTube channel “GriGura,” Kim Gu-ra revealed that he purchased a home in Siksa-dong, Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, in 2011 and lamented, “The value of my house isn’t going up.” He bought it for 830 million won at the initial sale price, but its value has remained stagnant. In response, real estate expert Kim In-man explained, “A 49-pyeong unit rose to 1.035 billion won in 2021 but has since fallen to about 745 million won.” Kim Gu-ra said, “It’s a place with truly excellent living conditions and surroundings, so it’s hard to understand why the property value remains at the original sale price.”
The real estate industry cites “location analysis” as the key factor behind the mixed results in celebrities’ real estate investments.
Shim Hyung-seok, director of Woodaebang, emphasized, “Location is the most important factor,” noting, “Looking at celebrities’ investments, there are many cases where they purchase real estate in the places where they were born or have lived; however, it is crucial to study the location more thoroughly and make purchases with caution.”
He went on to emphasize, “Not only celebrities but also ordinary citizens need to do a lot of research when purchasing real estate,” adding, “You should visit the property in person, meet with real estate agents to seek advice, and examine all aspects thoroughly before making a purchase to avoid failure.”