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Lee Jong Suk Earned S$2.3mil By Restoring (And Then Selling) An Abandoned Building

Good foresight.

Just about every famous Korean celeb owns a building (or two) in Seoul, with many choosing to buy properties in swanky areas such as Gangnam and Cheongdamdong.

Model-turned-actor Lee Jong Suk is no exception. His purchase, however, raised a few eyebrows back in September 2016. Rather than buying property that would guarantee him with bountiful financial returns, he decided to fork out 3.9bil won (S$4.5mil) for an abandoned building in Sinsa-dong.

The location wasn’t ideal, but the star had just the solution for it. He turned the building into a cafe-restaurant, which he named 89Mansion. It's said that the 30-year-old star had taken inspiration from his birth year (1989) when naming the project, which houses a cafe on the first floor and a western-style restaurant on the second.

Many of his fans have since flocked to the area to show their support, and this ‘Lee Jong Suk effect’, as industry insiders call it, transformed the building and its surrounding areas to a bustling location with plenty of footfall. It also helped that the star was often spotted at the cafe helping out, which only attracted even more visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Sadly, Jong Suk decided to sell the building after the COVID-19 pandemic caused business to plummet, and he reportedly made a tidy profit from the sale. According to reports, he sold 89Mansion for 5.9bil won (S$6.8mil), which is S$2.3mil more than how much he bought it for four years ago.

1 of 1 Jong Suk (left) and Woo Bin (right) in School 2013

89Mansion is not the only real estate investment the actor has made. Sources say he recently bought an apartment at the upscale Nine One Hannam development for 5bil won (S$5.7mil). His neighbours reportedly include other stars such as BIG BANG’s G-Dragon.

Jong Suk started his career as a model before making his transition to acting in 2010. He’s since gone from supporting player to leading man, and is best remembered for his roles in School 2013, I Can Hear Your Voice and Romance Is A Bonus Book.

Photos: PBE Media

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