Why Did BLACKPINK’s Lisa Buy a Luxury Mansion from a Chaebol Family for 7.5 Billion Won?

Lisa of the female idol group ‘BLACKPINK’ is drawing attention as she reveals part of her luxurious residence in Seongbuk-dong, garnering fans’ interest. Analysis suggests that she chose the Seongbuk-dong house considering thorough security and privacy protection.

Recently, Lisa began introducing her home in response to many fans’ requests, stating in a birthday celebration video uploaded to her agency’s YouTube channel, “Fans have been asking to see a bit of my house.”

As Lisa cautiously opened the front door, a spacious living room stretched beyond the long corridor, with high ceilings adding to the openness. The interior, unified in serene white tones, prompted Lisa to express her pride, saying, “I worked very hard on remodeling.”

Lisa purchased this house in January last year for 7.5 billion won. It is estimated that she made full cash payment as there is no record of any encumbrance in the property register. This house, spanning from the basement to the second floor with a floor area of 208 square meters, was originally inhabited by the late Shin Gyeok-ho, the former honorary chairman of Lotte Group, and his granddaughter Jang Seon-yoon, and her husband, who was previously a senior executive at Lotte New York Palace.

Seongbuk-dong, considered one of Korea’s representative affluent neighborhoods, is home to many famous business figures such as Hyun Jeong-eun, the chairwoman of Hyundai Group, and Park Jung-won, the chairman of Doosan Group. Moreover, actor Yoo Hae-jin purchased a detached house in Seongbuk-dong last year for 4.5 billion won, and rapper Beenzino also acquired a house for the same amount. Additionally, celebrities such as the couple Lee Seung-gi and Lee Da-in, and Baek Jong-won and Park Soo-jin reside in Seongbuk-dong.

Seongbuk-dong, being close to the Blue House, had restrictions on public access in the past. As a result, politicians, business figures, and famous entertainers who are averse to exposure of their private lives have gradually gathered, forming an affluent area. Moreover, with numerous embassy residences from countries like Japan, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Pakistan, security management has become even more rigorous.

Due to its steep hills, inconvenient public transportation, and disconnected sidewalks, Seongbuk-dong remains largely inaccessible to the general public. This situation is not problematic for residents who always use cars and, in fact, works in favor of privacy protection.

Female idol group members often face threats to their safety from avid fans or stalkers, and even a global star like Lisa has experienced such threats. In this regard, a real estate expert commented, “Affluent areas preferred by celebrities tend to have good accessibility to the city while having a low transient population,” analyzing Lisa’s choice of Seongbuk-dong residence based on its proximity to the city center and privacy protection.

Moreover, Seongbuk-dong, located near the foothills of Bukhansan, enjoys clear air and a pleasant view. Especially as a representative ‘auspicious location’ where favorable energy from Bukhansan gathers according to feng shui principles, there is continuous demand from wealthy individuals interested in feng shui geomancy.