Kim Hyun Joong confesses to massive fraud losses, “Even my closest friend changed”

Kim Hyun Joong, a member of SS501 and an actor, revealed that he suffered major financial losses after being scammed by multiple people.

On May 14, a video titled '[FIVE O ONE] Chaotic Drunken Truth Talk (I’ll Call You Auntie~)' was uploaded on the YouTube channel Yujeong and Jujeong. The episode featured Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Kyu Jong, and Heo Young Saeng talking candidly with Seo Yoo Jung.

During the conversation, the production staff mentioned that Kim Kyu Jong had once been featured in articles for being good at financial management. Surprised, he responded, “Me?” before explaining that he had been running a one-room property business since around 2011. He added that the income from the business allowed him to give pocket money to his parents and said it was the first time he had heard people describe him as good at investing.

Meanwhile, Kim Hyun Joong shared his love for musical instruments, saying, “I just buy instruments as they are.” He revealed that his most expensive guitar cost around 30 million KRW (approximately 21,500 USD) and explained that he actually bought it at a relatively low price. He also commented that guitar prices around the world may have risen even more than gold prices.

The conversation then turned serious when Kim Hyun Joong confessed that he had repeatedly fallen victim to fraud. He stated, “I am basically top tier when it comes to getting scammed. I have been deceived so many times. I lost tens of billions of KRW, equivalent to several million USD. And it was not just one person. It was dozens.”

Explaining the painful experiences, he said, “There were friends I had known since childhood, and I watched even my closest friends change. It was the sweetness of people suddenly approaching me.” In response, Seo Yoo Jung sympathized and remarked that people who start working at a young age often go through similar experiences.