BIGBANG member Daesung's building which sparked controversy due to illegal business is currently undergoing demolition.
On November 17, Korean media reported that the interior of Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has been demolished since the 6th. A building employee was asked and he said, "Right now, the only businesses that are open and running in the building is the coffee shop on the 1st floor and a clinic on the third floor."
The building was bought in 2017 by BIGBANG member Daesung for 31 billion won. However, less than two years after Daesung purchased the building, a tenant was searched by the police and investigated for hiring female sex workers to help operate the entertainment pub. The police also ceased the operations of three other establishments in the building.
Last July, Daesung, who was serving in the military, released a statement through YG Entertainment saying "Because the tenants were already in operation when I bought the building, I wasn't aware of the type of illegal businesses they had. We will immediately take legal action against businesses that are found to be illegal."
However, after the allegations that the tenants had practiced prostitution, the case became bigger, and the police expanded the investigation by forming 12 dedicated teams ton investigate Daesung's building. According to the Special Prostitution Act, if the landlord knows in advance what the mediation of the tenant is, they may be punished for aid if they do not take action. So it all boils down to whether Daesung was aware of the prostitution or not.
The police seized and searched for the building last August and secured the books related to the charges. The police plan to speed up the investigation as the building owner, Daesung, has already ended his military service last November 10. A police official said, "We haven't decided on whether to summon Daesung as a suspect or a reference person. If you summon a person who is a reference person, it may be difficult to investigate if he does not respond."
