Lee Byung Hun's Blackmailers Have A Court Date

Model Lee Ji Yeon and GLAM's Dahee will face the court on Oct. 16 to answer charges on their alleged blackmail attempt. The women are charged with attempting to blackmail actor Lee Byung Hun for $5 million.

According to the Korea Herald, prosecutors said that the women first met Lee Byung Hun in July and later met him several times later for drinks. When the women thought that they actor was interested in a relationship with Lee Ji Yeon, they allegedly conspired to catch him in an incriminating situation and blackmail him.

According to the police, both women were deeply in debt. Lee Ji Yeon did not have a regular source of income and singer and actress Dahee owed her agency Big Hit Entertainment about $300,000.

The women allegedly attempted to catch candid shots of Lee Ji Yeon and Lee Byung Hun should he decide to initiate a relationship

After Lee Ji Yeon asked Lee Byung Hun for a house, he told her that he did not wish to see her again. He said that he became aware that Dahee and Lee Ji Yeon had financial problems and decided that he no longer wanted to see them. Lee Ji Yeon claimed that she and the actor did have a three-month relationship. She said that when the actor suddently attempted to end their relationship, she reacted emotionally. She said that she attempted to blackmail him because she was so upset that she had been dumped.

According to the prosecution, there is no evidence that there was ever a relationship between the actor and Lee Ji Yeon. Without evidence of relationship, Lee Ji Yeon and Dahee allegedly decided to blackmail Lee Byung Hun by using conversation in which he made inappropriate comments about sexual preferences. But the actor refused to be blackmailed and reported the case to the police.

After conducting a search of Dahee and Lee Ji Yeon's apartments, the prosecutors decided there was enough evidence to detain the women. They were arrested on Sept. 1 and since have admitted to some of the charges.

Lee Ji Yeon and Dahee could potentially face five years or more in prison for their alleged blackmail attempt.

According to a press release by Lee Byung Hun's agency BH Entertainment, "Their actions, blackmailing for an amount of five billion KRW (approx. 4.9 million USD), according to article 3 of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes, is a serious criminal offense punishable by anywhere from five years to life in prison."