JYJ’s Junsu opens up about hotel controversy

JYJ’s Kim Junsu. PHOTO from The Korea Herald / Asia News Network

Junsu of K-pop group JYJ attempted to clear the controversy involving him and Toscana Hotel employees via Instagram on Tuesday.

A local media outlet reported Tuesday that Junsu had allegedly earned an unfair profit of $2.62 million from the hotel business. The employee came forward with multiple allegations of financial grievances after the hotel was sold to a real estate company in January.

The 30-year-old singer called the report defamatory and said that he had never made money by harming others.

“Someone used false information and made that ring true to others. It made me sound like a total swindler,” he said. 

The Toscana Hotel on Jeju Island was built in September 2014 on the land purchased by Junsu in January 2011. His father was appointed chairman of the hotel while his brother assumed the post of CEO.

“I chose to sell the hotel because a businessmen advised me that that would be better for the hotel and the employees’ future,” Junsu said.

Singer-actor Kim Moo-young, the twin brother of Junsu, took up the issue on his Instagram account on Wednesday.

“My brother has been trying his best to support the hotel management, even selling his cars and wristwatches,” he said. “Please let Junsu join the military without any more concerns.”

The artist was sued by the construction company involved in the hotel project in November 2014, a case which he won in June 2015.

Junsu will begin his two-year military service on Thursday.