Actor Lee Jung-jae has refuted reports that he invested 20 billion KRW (some $14.4 million USD) in JTBC's plans to relaunch the baseball-themed variety program A Clean Sweep.
On Aug. 14, Sports Kyunghyang quoted a baseball industry insider saying Lee's team had invested the large amount into production.
Another report suggested the actor may have bought or backed a new baseball team.
The rumor came as A Clean Sweep is set to be overhauled under a new cast and production team.
The gossip was made due to Lee's minor association with baseball, aside from throwing the opening pitch at a game between Kiwoom and LG in 2022 to advertise his movie Hunt.
Lee's only other association with the sport is through close friend and co-actor Jung Woo-sung, who plays on the celebrity team of "Playboys."
Stories connected Lee to the reboot via former pro player Shim Soo-chang, now captain of a new team under the Gyeonggi-do Baseball Softball Association.
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Lee, the world's most famous for Squid Game, has a significant business track record, such as co-founding Artist Company in 2016, consolidating it with Artist United, acquiring drama producer RaemongRaein, and distributing movies like The Dead Don't Hurt and One Win.
If confirmed, the deal would have been Lee's first significant foray into the "sportainment" business.
A Clean Sweep, which debuted in 2022, wrapped its third season in February 2025 with internal conflicts leading PD Jang Si-won and the original cast to jump to the web series Burning Baseball.
JTBC later hired CP Sung Chi-kyung (Let's Play Soccer 4) and PD Ahn Sung-han to head the remake, new coaching staff, and roster of retired players.
But Lee's agency, Artist Company, denied the investment reports.
"While we reviewed the possibility of participating in a baseball variety show at the company level, it was not A Clean Sweep. This appears to have been speculation from ongoing discussions, but we are not reviewing it now." the agency said.
JTBC also denied the report.
"The information is not true," the network said.
With both sides denying the rumors, Lee's potential entry into baseball entertainment appears unlikely — at least for now.
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