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Woman loses $350,000 to romance scam impersonating actor Lee Jung-jae

Published: 22 Oct. 2025, 18:56

JTBC reported on Oct. 21 that a romance scam ring impersonating actor Lee Jung-jae defrauded a woman of approximately 500 million won ($350,000). [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A woman has fallen victim to a romance scam involving a criminal ring that impersonated actor Lee Jung-jae, defrauding her of approximately 500 million won ($350,000), according to a report by JTBC on Tuesday. Lee’s agency has pledged to take strong legal action in response.

Artist Company, Lee’s agency, issued a statement on Wednesday on its official social media account, confirming that “a crime involving impersonation of our artist to solicit money and gain financial profit has been reported in the media.”

“We clearly state that neither the company nor any of our artists will ever ask for money, wire transfers or sponsorships under any circumstances,” the statement continued. “If you receive any such requests, please do not respond and take extra caution to avoid falling victim to fraud.”

The agency added that it is currently working with the relevant authorities to verify the details and promised a strong response to protect both the artist and his fans. “We will continue to do our utmost to foster a safe and healthy fan culture,” the agency said.

According to JTBC, the scammers approached the victim under the pretense of communicating with fans and sent AI-generated photos of Lee and a fake driver’s license to build credibility. They told the woman that the actor was filming “Squid Game 3” and gradually built a rapport, eventually moving their conversations to KakaoTalk.

JTBC reported on Oct. 21 that a romance scam ring impersonating actor Lee Jung-jae defrauded a woman of approximately 500 million won ($350,000). [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Believing she was in a romantic relationship, the woman sent multiple payments after being told she would soon meet the actor. The scammers used terms of endearment like “honey” and “darling” to reinforce the deception. The total sum transferred over six months amounted to 500 million won, starting with an initial payment of 6 million won.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which has taken over the case, is investigating all possible angles, including ties to a Cambodian crime syndicate.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]