Koo Jun-yup and the late Xu Xiyuan [Instagram]
Koo Jun-yup and the late Xu Xiyuan [Instagram]

Ownership of "Taipei Xinyi," a luxury penthouse in Taipei that belonged to the late Taiwanese actor Xu Xiyuan, has been transferred to her husband Koo Jun-yup and their two minor children, Taiwanese media reported Wednesday.

United Daily News, Liberty Times and other Taiwanese media reported that the transfer of ownership of the Taipei Xinyi property — located on Songyong Road in Xinyi District, Taipei, and one of two luxury homes Xu held during her lifetime — has been completed.

According to sources cited by local media, the penthouse, which Xu purchased in 2016 for 362 million New Taiwan dollars (about 16.3 billion won), has been registered jointly in the names of Koo and the two minor children, each holding a one-third share. The property's current estimated market value is about 460 million New Taiwan dollars, or about 20.7 billion won.

Because the two children are minors, their biological father Wang Xiaofei is handling inheritance and asset management procedures as their legal guardian.

However, ownership of Xu's other luxury property — "Guojia Yishuguan," located on Songde Road in Xinyi District — has not yet changed hands.

A separate source said Xu purchased that property in 2009 for about 200 million New Taiwan dollars ($6.14 million), and that ex-husband Wang Xiaofei has a bank mortgage on it after taking out a loan of about 110 million New Taiwan dollars, or about 4.9 billion won, to raise business capital.

Wang has repaid only 5 million New Taiwan dollars, or about 220 million won, leaving the future disposition of the property uncertain.

Koo's mother-in-law, Huang Chunmei, is currently residing at the Guojia Yishuguan property. Whether she will continue to live there will be determined after legal procedures for inheritance and disposal are completed.

Assets inside Xu's home have been photographed, documented and notarized in the joint presence of attorneys representing both Koo and Wang following her death. The assets cannot be moved or disposed of until the estate distribution is finalized, to protect the rights of the heirs.

Taiwanese legal experts expect Xu's estate to be divided equally among three parties — husband Koo and their two minor children, each receiving one-third — under Article 1138 of Taiwan's Civil Code.


123@heraldcorp.com