Man Accuses Song Mino Of Failing To Deliver A Painting He Purchased For 25 Million Won, Art Gallery Responds To The Allegations

Song Mino, member of WINNER and now an artist, has become embroiled in a legal dispute over a painting. Start Art Korea, the gallery responsible for exhibiting and selling the artwork, has expressed frustration over the situation, strongly denying the allegations and vowing to take legal action.

On January 25, Lee Byung Goo, CEO of Start Art Korea, spoke to Ilgan Sports, saying, “In the process of selling artworks, it is customary to verify the buyer’s identity for future exhibitions or other reasons. In Song Mino’s case, as a public figure, we needed to take extra precautions due to the possibility of resale at higher prices.” He explained that the buyer, identified as “A,” had provided unclear address and identification details, leading the gallery to issue a refund. However, A returned the refunded amount and filed a lawsuit.

A had claimed on JTBC’s Incident Chief on January 24 that they purchased Song Mino’s painting “I Thought” for 25 million won [around $17,000] at his first solo exhibition in December 2022 but had yet to receive the artwork.” A stated that the painting was supposed to be delivered in February 2023, following the exhibition’s conclusion, but the gallery delayed the delivery due to exhibition schedule adjustments.

A subsequently filed a civil lawsuit, arguing that they had paid for the artwork but never received it. The first court ruling ordered the gallery to either deliver the painting or refund the payment. A also sought 40 million won [around $27,979] in settlement fees, including legal expenses and compensation for emotional distress. After the second court rejected the settlement request, A announced plans to appeal and filed criminal fraud charges against Song Mino and the gallery in October 2023.

In response, CEO Lee expressed frustration, stating, “We were willing to provide either the painting or a refund based on the court’s ruling, but A refused both. The artwork is even stored at our attorney’s office, ready for immediate delivery. Despite this, A continues to demand settlement fees, which have now exceeded 50 million won. It feels like A is leveraging Song Mino’s celebrity status to make these demands.”

Lee clarified that the gallery tried to resolve the issue amicably, acknowledging some mistakes during the sales process. However, with A escalating the matter through legal action and media exposure, the gallery has decided to pursue legal countermeasures, including charges of defamation and business obstruction.

Regarding rumors that the painting had been reserved by a famous female singer, Lee refuted these claims, stating, “Neither the gallery nor Song Mino ever made such statements. “In light of A’s one-sided narrative, we are considering additional legal actions to protect our reputation.”

Source: (A)