'He chose me as his spouse': Fan loses $23,700 to fake Lee Dong-wook
Summary
A romance scam using actor Lee Dong-wook’s name defrauded a woman in her late 30s in a social media relationship that lasted about eight months. She said she wired 35 million won, or $23,700, and could not recover it. The scammer never met her in person or spoke by phone, and later demanded more money for supposed customs fees. Lee Dong-wook’s agency said impersonators have been approaching fans through private messaging and social media.
Key Facts
- The victim said the online relationship lasted about eight months before the money transfers escalated.
- She said she sent 35 million won, equal to $23,700, and has been unable to recover the money.
- The impostor claimed he was filming abroad and had sent a package containing gifts worth 700 million won.
- The agency said its artists never solicit money, valuables, or personal information through direct channels.
- The article also cited a previous romance scam involving actor Lee Jung-jae that allegedly cost a woman in her 50s about 500 million won.
King Kong by Starship confirmed its talent never asks for money or private fan meetings through direct messages
Actor Lee Dong-wook / Courtesy of King Kong by Starship
A romance scam exploiting the name and likeness of actor Lee Dong-wook has defrauded a fan of tens of millions of won, stirring widespread public dismay and prompting his management agency to intervene to prevent further victimization.
Appearing on SBS's "News Hunters" in a broadcast on Wednesday, a woman in her late 30s said she exchanged private messages for about eight months with an individual claiming to be Lee, believing they were in a relationship before wiring 35 million won ($23,700) that she has been unable to recover.
The victim said the online relationship unfolded entirely across social media, where the impostor groomed her into believing they were romantically involved.
"He more or less professed his love for me. We even talked about visiting my parents and arranging a meeting of the families," she said.
"It grew into a romantic relationship. I called him 'oppa' (an affectionate Korean term for an older male) and he called me 'honey.' He told me he had chosen me as his spouse."
Yet throughout their eight months of relationship, the two never once met face-to-face or spoke by phone. The fraud escalated when the scammer claimed he was filming abroad and had sent her a package containing gifts purportedly worth 700 million won. Claiming the package could not clear customs, he repeatedly pressed her for money to cover customs-clearance documentation and storage fees — demands she met through repeated bank transfers until her losses mounted to roughly 35 million won.
The agency said it has recently received reports of individuals impersonating its artists on private messaging and social media platforms. It added that its talent never solicits money, valuables or personal information through direct channels, and under no circumstances do artists privately approach fans to request funds under the pretext of holding a VIP fan meeting.
The incident underscores a troubling wave of romance scams that harness digital tools and artificial intelligence to exploit fan trust through celebrity impersonation.
Last October, a romance scam syndicate posing as actor Lee Jung-jae swindled a woman in her 50s out of approximately 500 million won after she believed they were dating. In response, Lee's agency, Artist Company, said it would take legal action to hold the culprits accountable.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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