Actor Kim Seung-woo sued for allegedly taking 22 million won from acquaintance

Actor Kim Seung-woo has been sued by police following allegations that he took 22 million won from an acquaintance's wallet at a Cheongdam-dong entertainment establishment in 2021. While Kim claims the money was part of a prank and was returned, the complainant, who is currently serving time at Gwangju Correctional Institution, disputes the return of the funds.

Controversy is mounting over allegations that actor Kim Seung-woo took 22 million won from an acquaintance's wallet, with further suspicions arising that the amount was used as a tip for a female hostess at an entertainment establishment. While the involved parties present opposing arguments regarding the nature of the money and whether it was returned, public criticism has intensified online following reports of the high-value cash transaction at the venue. Public attention has focused particularly on the claim that 22 million won was discussed as a mere prank or a tip during a drinking session.

On the 12th, a video titled "Used as a hostess tip? Why was Kim Seung-woo sued for stealing 22 million won?" was released on the YouTube channel Respect Lee Jin-ho. In the video, YouTuber and former entertainment reporter Lee Jin-ho stated that Kim Seung-woo has been sued by police for allegedly tampering with an acquaintance's wallet at an entertainment establishment, noting suspicions that the money was taken to provide a tip to a female hostess.

Lee Jin-ho also conveyed the position of Kim Seung-woo's side. Kim explained that the act was a prank occurring between close older and younger male acquaintances and claimed that he returned more than 22 million won. Conversely, the complainant, identified as A, reportedly claimed that one of the female hostesses present at the scene witnessed Kim Seung-woo tampering with his wallet. The explanations of both sides conflict regarding the act of taking the money and the circumstances surrounding it.

A central point of the controversy has emerged regarding a 30 million won deposit. Lee Jin-ho revealed that a record of a 30 million won transfer from Kim Seung-woo to A's bank account has been confirmed. However, A refuted this, claiming the amount was not a return of the stolen funds but rather a portion of investment profits. Both sides are assigning entirely different meanings to the same deposit record. As the dispute continues over the nature and return of the funds, interest in the reality of the case is growing.

Online, sharp reactions have followed the suspicion regarding the large tip. Comments criticizing the situation by comparing it to economic realities have poured in, such as, "A 22 million won tip as a prank?", "A tip of 22 million won?", and "It is hard for some to save that much in a year, yet it is consumed as a tip." Some reactions also mentioned family and private life, including, "To still go to such places at age 50," "Poor Kim Nam-joo," and "Isn't it shameful for someone with children?" However, these comments are personal evaluations online and do not prove the facts of the case or the establishment of charges.

The incident was made known through a report by Ilyo Shinmun on the 12th. A, who is currently serving time at Gwangju Correctional Institution, claimed that 22 million won disappeared from his wallet while drinking with Kim Seung-woo at an entertainment establishment in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in 2021. A explained that after seeing Kim Seung-woo home, he checked his wallet to pay the bill and discovered that both checks and cash were missing. It was also reported that the female hostesses present at the time claimed to have seen Kim Seung-woo taking money from A's wallet.

A demanded the return of the money, but Kim Seung-woo's side reportedly maintained that it was a prank and that the money was returned the following day. In contrast, A does not accept the explanation that the funds were returned, defining the returned money as investment profits. Ultimately, the whereabouts of the 22 million won, the nature of the 30 million won deposit, and the intent and circumstances of the act remain points of contention.

As the explanation that it was a prank stemming from a close relationship clashes directly with the complainant's claim of theft, the case has entered a stage awaiting legal judgment. While the controversy grows due to the intersection of the entertainment establishment anecdote involving large sums of money and the hostess tip suspicion, the current allegations are based on the claims of the parties and media reports and have not been confirmed as charges. Attention is now focused on whether the specific facts regarding the movement of the money, its return, and the circumstances at the time will be revealed during the upcoming investigation.

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