“Especially Close to the Deceased”: Kim Bu-seon Wins Partial Victory in 200 Million Won Loan Lawsuit... Bereaved Family Outraged

[Financial News] Actress Kim Bu-seon has won part of a lawsuit seeking repayment of a loan worth around 200 million won, brought by the family of an acquaintance who had died. The court found that Kim and the deceased had been “particularly close” and considered most of the money transferred to have been support given in good faith.
According to a ruling obtained by Hankook Ilbo on the 12th, the Seoul Eastern District Court (Judge Choi Seong-su) ruled on Oct. 30 in a civil lawsuit seeking repayment of a loan filed by the family of A, an acquaintance of Kim’s, that Kim must pay 70 million won in principal and 1,373,148 won in delay damages.
In December last year, the family had initially sought the return of a total of 211,312,872 won that A transferred to Kim up until shortly before A’s death, but the court dismissed the claim for the amount beyond the debt it recognized. It ordered the plaintiff to bear 70% of the litigation costs and the defendant to pay the rest.
The only amount the court recognized as a loan was the 80 million won transferred in June 2024. Kim argued that 10 million won had been repaid right away, leaving a total loan of 70 million won, and the court accepted that argument.
The court also did not consider as debt the money A sent Kim in amounts of several million won, on around 80 occasions. Much of the money A transferred from August 2013 through 2023 was repaid a few days later, often by Kim or people close to Kim. From 2024 onward, transfers came roughly once a month, usually in amounts of 3 million won and, when smaller, 2 million or 1 million won; only some of the money was repaid.
Based on the transaction notes A left after making transfers, the court found that A and Kim had been “particularly close.” A sometimes labeled transfers “interest-free loan” or “loan,” but the court considered notes such as “Enjoy wearing the coat,” “Use it for your dog’s medical expenses,” and “Have a good trip,” and found that they were in a relationship where gifts given in good faith were plausible.
The family countered that there was no record of gift taxes being declared or paid. The court explained that declaring and paying gift tax concerns the fulfillment of a duty to cooperate under tax law. It added that the absence of such records alone was not enough to conclude that an agreement had been made between the deceased and Kim to lend and repay the money.
The family cited the “interest-free loan” notation, instances in the past when Kim had repaid money she received, and unpaid gift taxes as evidence that the money was a loan. The court, however, explained that “the burden of proving that a loan was made rests with the plaintiff” and that “the plaintiff’s evidence is insufficient to establish that amounts exceeding 70 million won were lent.”
Kim posted on social media (SNS) on the 10th, calling it “a precious result, almost like a complete victory.” The family, meanwhile, argued, “Kim’s defamation is serious. In a livestream about the ruling, Kim referred to the deceased and distorted their relationship to claim that the money was a gift,” and immediately appealed.
[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter