Noh So-young “I left the house I married in 37 years ago.”
Walkerhill accommodation fee of 2 billion won in arrears revealed after ‘9 years of residence’
There is also speculation in the business world that the actual amount of arrears will reach 10 billion won.
[Edaily Reporter Lee Ro-won] After her divorce from SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won was finalized, Noh So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi, posted a message on social networking service (SNS) saying, “I am moving away from my in-laws,” and while attention is focused on the background, the controversy is spreading as it is known that Director Noh lived in a luxury villa in the Walkerhill Hotel and did not pay about 2 billion won in lodging expenses.
Noh So-young, director of the Butterfly Art Center, posted a photo of herself in a wedding dress on social media while revealing her feelings about divorce. (Photo = News 1, Director Noh’s Instagram)
According to the business world on the 11th, Director Noh posted on his SNS on the 6th, “The divorce has been finalized, and I am leaving the house I married in 37 years ago. At that time, I was with my in-laws, and for the past 10 years, I have lived alone, married off my two daughters, and lived with my youngest son. Now I am also saying goodbye to my son.”
However, Director Noh did not mention the non-payment of lodging fees at ‘Emerald Villa’ in the Walkerhill Hotel, where he has lived since 2016. The house where Director Noh lived was a luxury villa in the Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and it is known that the housing expenses that Director Noh has not paid so far are close to 2 billion won.
Emerald Villa is a luxury facility used for banquets and VIP entertainment. The monthly lodging fee alone amounts to 70 million won per month. The hotel sent several proofs to Director Noh, saying, “Let’s pay the overdue accommodation fee or sign a formal contract,” but it is known that Director Noh has not responded to these requests. Chairman Chey Tae-won is known to have paid a significant portion of this at his own expense, leading to speculation that the actual arrears may amount to 10 billion won.
Even during the COVID-19 period, the hotel maintained high-end services such as 24-hour security, garden management, and housekeeping for the villa used by Director Roh, while enduring worsening business management. The loss incurred in the process was also borne by the hotel. Despite a serious hit to sales, the hotel had to provide services as is to manage Director Noh’s villa.
This is an issue that is highly likely to lead to ‘unauthorized occupation.’ This is because there is a precedent that Director Roh received an eviction order from the court last year for failing to pay rent for five years while using the 4th floor space of SK’s Seorin building in Jongno-gu, Seoul as an office at the Art Center Navi.
Some in the legal community believe it is significant that Director Roh, who is not usually active on social media, emphasized the family narrative by pointing out differences from the facts.
In particular, there is speculation that the use of family keywords such as ‘parents-in-law, two daughters, and son’ may be another attempt at public opinion to induce a favorable situation for the person ahead of the annulment trial.
Some in the business world pointed out, “I think Director Roh may have recognized the hotel and its members as his personal property,” and “I don’t understand why he posted a post with pictures of luxury goods in an atmosphere as if he was being kicked out, even though he was just leaving the place he had been occupying without permission.”
In addition, an official in the legal community who requested anonymity said through a media outlet, “It seems similar to the pattern when he received the first trial ruling in the past,” and added, “It seems that he has brought back the method of winning the public opinion battle outside the court through his emotional stance at the time.”
In fact, Director Noh complained at the time of the first trial ruling, saying, “From now on, it will be possible for a husband who owns a business to evict the spouse who took care of the family at a low price,” and that it was “embarrassing and shameful.” As a result, more women supported Director Roh at the time, and the public opinion war between Director Roh and Chairman Choi became even more intense.
The legal community points out that such ‘emotional public opinion battles outside the court’ may have a further influence on future quashment and remand trials, damaging fairness, and point out that we must wait for the court’s judgment based on legal principles and evidence.
Meanwhile, Director Noh is known to own a 130 pyeong mansion in Hannam-dong. The single-family home on Hannam-daero, Hannam-dong, Seoul is comprised of a 77-pyeong (254-square-meter) building with two above-ground floors and one basement floor on a 130-pyeong (430-square-meter) site, a parking lot, and a garden. The current market price of this mansion is known to be around 6 to 7 billion won. The monthly rent for this mansion, which is being leased and used by a famous wedding studio, is said to be around 20 million won.