On August 4, Seoul Gangnam Police Station revealed that they conducted a search and seizure on businesses located on six floors in the building owned by BIGBANG’s Daesung on charges including violations of food sanitation laws.

The search and seizure was carried out from 11 a.m. KST to 2:45 p.m. KST on August 4. A source from the police station explained, “It was conducted to look into matters related to violations of facility standards and hiring of hostesses. We will analyze the evidence we have collected and continue our investigation.”

Daesung acquired the building in 2017. It is currently under suspicion of housing illegal adult entertainment businesses and facilitating prostitution. In April, four of the businesses were found to be violating food sanitation laws. Of those, one was found to have registered as a regular restaurant establishment but had employed and advertised hostesses. The business will face a month-long suspension that begins on August 16. The other three were also registered as regular restaurant establishments but were found to be operating as adult entertainment businesses, even installing karaoke machines in their spaces.

The police has forwarded the case against the four business owners to the prosecutor’s office.

Daesung has released an official statement regarding the matter, explaining that as he had enlisted in the military soon after acquiring the building, he was unaware of what was going on but would do his best as the landlord to resolve the situation.

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BIGBANG member Daesung is allegedly selling his building in Gangnam, which recently made headlines for illegal businesses being conducted inside.

On August 1, Channel A reported that Daesung has put his building on the market.

According to the report, Daesung’s building is listed for sale at 40 billion won (approximately $33.5 million). If the building were to sell for its currently listed price, Daesung would make a profit of about 5 billion won (approximately $4.2 million).

A reporter from Channel A called a broker to ask about the listing after revealing he was a reporter. The broker feigned ignorance and replied that he didn’t know who BIGBANG was. When the reporter called again under the guise of an interested buyer and asked if Daesung put his building on the market, the real estate broker replied, “Yes, that’s correct. There’s a team working covertly [to sell] it. We’ll make it happen quickly.”

The real estate broker stated that Daesung first showed interest in selling the building in June, which, according to the report, was after Daesung’s side became aware that Channel A was preparing to report on the illegal adult entertainment businesses in the building at the end of March.

The real estate broker continued to persuade the “buyer” by reassuring him that Daesung’s entertainment agency was also involved in the selling process. The real estate broker stated, “Yes, it’s “Y” Entertainment. I won’t add the ‘G.'” YG Entertainment, however, denied any involvement.

A source from the real estate industry said that it was unusual for a building worth tens of billions of won to be put back on the market this quickly. They said, “An average person doesn’t do that because liquidizing real estate is not easy.”

Channel A concluded its report by adding that the police are having a hard time with their investigations because the adult entertainment businesses in Daesung’s building have already begun closing down.

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