IVE's Ahn Yu-jin spotted at Gangnam apartment she won in lottery subscription draw

IVE member Ahn Yu-jin has been spotted at the upscale Gangnam apartment she won through a lottery-style subscription draw, according to a resident of the building.

The sighting came to light on broadcaster Park Eun-young's YouTube channel, "Alkong Dalkong Park Eun-young," in a recently uploaded video titled "DIH Bangbae, 3,000 Units — A Brand-New Move-In This September With Sensational Interiors."

In the video, Park, a former announcer, visits a friend who recently moved into the DIH Bangbae apartment complex in Seocho-gu, Seoul, touring the unit and showcasing its interiors and various facilities.

The complex had drawn public attention months earlier when it emerged that Ahn had won a unit through the apartment subscription system. Park brought up the connection, asking her friend whether Ahn was actually living there.

The friend replied that she had seen Ahn on Sunday, surprising Park. However, she added that Ahn did not appear to be a resident herself. "It seems like her parents are the ones living there," the friend said. "That's probably why she can be spotted there from time to time."

The complex held its general pre-sale in 2024. Although it went unnoticed at the time, news that Ahn had won a unit emerged belatedly in July. The specific unit size she was allocated has not been confirmed, but for an exclusive use area of 84 square meters, the highest pre-sale price was 2.24 billion won ($1.69 million), while the current market price for available units stands at around 4 billion won — nearly double the pre-sale price. The gap is largely attributed to the price cap under the pre-sale price ceiling system, which set the pre-sale price below surrounding market rates.

The situation has drawn criticism from some quarters, who argue it is inappropriate for so-called "young rich" celebrities — those who have amassed significant wealth at a young age — to benefit from an apartment subscription system designed to help ordinary homebuyers. The current system restricts eligibility and applies pre-sale price caps with the stated aim of guaranteeing housing opportunities for those without homes who genuinely need them, yet a celebrity who could easily afford housing without such protections has reaped the benefits.

paq@heraldcorp.com