The Intriguing Tale of “Squid Game” Star Lee Jung Jae and Chaebol Daughter Im Se Ryung’s Elite Relationship
Lee Jung Jae made a name for himself in the 1990s, known for his handsome looks and versatile acting style. However, it wasn’t until the success of “Squid Game” that his fame truly skyrocketed globally.
Alongside this, the romance between Lee Jung Jae and the chaebol daughter Im Se Ryung, the former wife of “Samsung Prince” Lee Jae Yong, became a topic of huge interest.
Im Se Ryung, the daughter of Daesang Group’s Chairman and the ex-wife of Lee Jae Yong, holds an astounding fortune of up to 300 billion won. Consequently, Lee Jung Jae and Im Se Ryung became the power couple in the Korean entertainment industry.
Im Se Ryung – Lee Jung Jae: Who are they?
Born in 1977, Lee Jung Jae’s girlfriend is the daughter of Daesang Group’s Chairman, an heiress to a colossal empire. Apart from her enormous wealth, Im Se Ryung is also a savvy businesswoman who manages a series of companies, with assets amounting to 300 billion won. Im Se Ryung is also renowned for her high-end fashion choices, often donning outfits worth tens of millions of won when out in public.
In 1998, Im Se Ryung married “Samsung Prince” Lee Jae Yong, and the couple had two children – a son and a daughter. Despite Samsung’s Chairman Lee Kun Hee’s famous motto of “changing everything except his wife and children,” his son Lee Jae Yong took a different path. In 2009, after 11 years of marriage, Lee Jae Yong and Im Se Ryung divorced.
Meanwhile, Lee Jung Jae, born in 1972, left an indelible mark on the public with his works in television and film. Entering the entertainment scene in 1993, thanks to a famous designer recognizing his potential when he was still a café employee, Lee Jung Jae officially stepped into the entertainment industry.
With his charismatic appearance and good acting skills, Lee Jung Jae quickly rose to stardom, winning numerous prestigious awards. Beyond success in the film industry, the “Squid Game” star also excels in business, owning a chain of restaurants, a real estate company, and, notably, co-founding an artist management company named Artist Company with his close friend Jung Woo Sung. Artist Company manages many famous names such as Go Ah Ra, Kim Eui Sung, Go Ah Sung, Park So Dam, Yeom Jung Ah, ESom, Bae Seong Woo…
In 2022, Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung were suspected of engaging in improper activities with the fraudulent ex-boyfriend of Park Min Young. However, after two years, these suspicions remained unverified and gradually faded on social media.
Suspicions of Lee Jung Jae being a “gold-digger”
Dispatch has a tradition of revealing celebrity couples dating on January 1st every year. On January 1, 2015, the news outlet published a series of dating photos of Lee Jung Jae and Im Se Ryung. This information immediately caused a media storm due to the actor’s fame and the heiress’s status.
Im Se Ryung was suspected of having an affair, while Lee Jung Jae continued to be plagued by rumors of being a “gold-digger”. Despite being an A-list actor with massive wealth, criticism was directed at Lee Jung Jae, alleging that he used his girlfriend’s influence to secure many opportunities in the industry. Some even claimed that Im Se Ryung financially supported Lee Jung Jae to open his own company.
Moreover, rumors of Lee Jung Jae’s past “gold-digging” also resurfaced. According to these rumors, the actor was believed to have been in a relationship with Lee Hae Kyung of Dongyang Group, who allegedly helped Lee Jung Jae settle a massive debt of 10 billion won. The persistent rumors continued to surround the relationship between the two.
The suspected financial benefits of the celebrity-chaebol relationship
As the fame of Lee Jung Jae continued to rise and the couple openly dated for 8 years, the suspicions of him being a gold-digger gradually subsided. The public now believes that there is genuine love between the two, not just for personal gain. However, this doesn’t mean that the couple doesn’t consider the financial benefits of their relationship and support each other’s progress.
Many believe that Lee Jung Jae’s connections with chaebols came through his relationship with Im Se Ryung. In the eyes of fans, both movie stars and chaebols are wealthy and famous. However, entering the elite world is not a simple feat for them.
After publicly announcing their relationship with Im Se Ryung, Lee Jung Jae accompanied his girlfriend to many high-profile events in the elite world and participated in major events in the global entertainment industry, such as the LACMA Art + Film Gala and the Emmy Awards.
Most recently, Lee Jung Jae and Im Se Ryung also attended the private party of Geraldine Guyot-Arnault, the daughter-in-law of LVMH. Other powerful guests at this luxurious event included “Samsung Princess” Lee Boo Jin, Rosé (BLACKPINK), and the scale of the party left netizens amazed.
With the success of “Squid Game”, Lee Jung Jae has now entered Hollywood with the lead role in the blockbuster film “Star Wars: The Acolyte”. There are also reports that the actor is negotiating to star in a film by Marvel Studios.
Some opinions suggest that if Lee Jung Jae had relied solely on his efforts, he would not easily have established connections with high-ranking individuals, thus propelling his career to new heights.
Im Se Ryung, although already wealthy and powerful, did not give up anything in this relationship. In late November 2023, Chosun Ilbo reported that the value of Im Se Ryung’s net worth was skyrocketing thanks to Lee Jung Jae.
Specifically, the stock price of the Daesang Food Group, where Im Se Ryung holds the position of vice chairman, reached the limit in two consecutive trading days, reaching 11,290 won and 11,790 won.
At Daesang Group, Im Se Ryung holds the second-largest share, with over 7.3 million shares, making up about 20.41% of the ownership. With Daesang’s stock prices spiking during that time, Im Se Ryung pocketed a profit of around 32 billion. According to Naver, the total value of Lee Jung Jae’s girlfriend’s shares now sits at approximately 83.4 billion won.
It’s worth noting that Daesang’s stock prices surged after the media revealed the meeting of actor Lee Jung Jae and Justice Minister Han Dong Hoon. The two had a meet-up and dinner at a restaurant in Seoul’s Seocho district on November 26.
In this scenario, both Im Se Ryung and Lee Jung Jae find themselves in a reciprocal relationship. It’s not just about emotional compensation, but their influence and wealth have seen a significant upswing. This positions Im Se Ryung and Lee Jung Jae as one of the most influential couples in the Korean entertainment industry.
Source: K14
