TVXQ’s Kim Jae-joong is K-pop’s richest idol – how does he spend his millions? From Ferrari and Lamborghini to rare Yayoi Kusama art and luxury property in Korea and Japan, here’s what the singer splashes on
Boasting an estimated net worth of US$100 million, Kim Jae-joong is Korea’s richest K-pop idol. However, reaching millionaire status didn’t come easy for the 34-year-old multi-hyphenate entertainer.
At 15, Kim moved to Seoul to audition at SM entertainment. He had to work part-time jobs to support himself and pay rent and training fees.
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While JYJ enjoyed international acclaim, Kim Jae-joong also found success as a solo artist, selling half a million albums in 2017.
He also crossed over into acting and has recently starred in K-dramas Triangle (2014) and Spy (2015), and after his mandatory military service, he made a comeback in the 2017 TV drama Manhole.
Here’s how the wealthiest K-pop idol spends his millions:
He invests in real estate
Like Song Hye-kyo and Jun Ji-hyun, Korea’s highest paid actresses, Kim isn’t afraid to splash his money on buildings and flats. AllKpop lists all of his properties. In 2012, he bought a US$2.5 million flat in Samsung-dong and a US$7 million building in Seocho-dong, renting them at US$4,900 and US$35,000 per month respectively.
Two years later, he bought a US$7 million building (named the J.Line Building) in Seocho-dong and then a US$2 million luxury flat in Seongsu-dong in 2017.
He also seems to be bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. He owns a number of cafes, bars, and restaurants: Cafe J-Holic and Coffee Cojjee in Samsung-dong and Holic J-bar and Japanese restaurant Bum’s Story in Gangnam. Outside Korea, he owns Kave mall in Shibuya, Tokyo and lets the third and fourth floors at US$40,000.
He collects luxury cars
With the money he acquires from renting properties, it’s no surprise that Kim Jae-joong also owns a luxury car collection. According to the same AllKpop report, he has six expensive cars: Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (US$520,000), Bentley Continental, (US$300,000), Mitsuoka Himiko (US$115,000), Audi R8 (US$240,000), Rolls-Royce Wraith (US$460,000) and Ferrari 458 (US$280,000).
He bought a luxury flat and owns rare art pieces
Aside from the US$2 million flat he bought in Seongsu-dong, it was revealed in a Japanese TV show that he bought another flat at US$4.4 million. As if that’s not enough, he owns the top three floors of the building that houses his flat.
The luxury apartment wouldn’t be complete without the furniture pieces and artworks Kim has bought. It includes a US$44,000 marble dining table, US$35,000 carpet and a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin artwork, which cost US$178, 000.
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Talent and sheer hard work has brought K-pop star Kim Jae-joong mega bucks from bestselling music albums and K-dramas Triangle, Spy and Manhole, and likes to splurge on everything from luxury cars like Rolls-Royce and Bentley, to property in Seoul and Japan