![Soyou said she has lived in the home for six years. [Photo from YouTube channel 'Lee Chang-sub & Jeo Chang-sub' video capture]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/25/20260425180408975743.jpg)
Singer Soyou’s upscale villa in Seoul’s Hannam-dong neighborhood has been shown publicly, drawing attention to the city’s ultra-high monthly rental market.
A video titled “Soyou’s home revealed: 13 million won monthly rent” was posted Thursday afternoon on the YouTube channel “Lee Chang-sub&Jeo Chang-sub.” The video shows Lee Chang-sub visiting Soyou’s home. Soyou said she has lived there for six years and is preparing to move soon.
The home is part of a cluster of luxury villas in Hannam-dong. Soyou said she pays rent in a lump sum once a year, a payment method known as “annual rent.” She said the going terms are a 100 million won deposit and about 13 million won in monthly rent, adding that her price is “a bit lower” because she moved in early.
![A 13 million won monthly rent is about 8.6 times the Seoul average and about 4.8 times the Yongsan-gu average. [Photo from YouTube channel 'Lee Chang-sub & Jeo Chang-sub' video capture]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/25/20260425180519975937.jpg)
At 13 million won a month, the rent totals 156 million won a year. That is separate from the 100 million won deposit and amounts to an annual cash outlay comparable to the jeonse price of a mid-sized apartment.
According to the Korea Real Estate Board, the average monthly rent for apartments in Seoul in January was 1.504 million won, and the average in Yongsan-gu was 2.681 million won. A 13 million won monthly rent is about 8.6 times the Seoul average and about 4.8 times the Yongsan-gu average.
Hannam-dong is widely seen as one of Seoul’s premier residential areas, with high-end complexes such as Nine One Hannam, Hannam The Hill and Parc Hannam. The area also has many embassies and foreign institutions, alongside demand from high-income professionals, business executives and entertainers. A 244-square-meter unit at Nine One Hannam sold for 15.65 billion won in March, recorded as the highest-priced apartment sale in Seoul this year.
![Some analysts say rents in Hannam-dong’s ultra-high-end housing are closer to a 'privacy fee' than basic housing costs. [Photo from YouTube channel 'Lee Chang-sub & Jeo Chang-sub' video capture]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/04/25/20260425180603227932.jpg)
Soyou said the area has many embassies and that the building previously drew mostly foreign residents. She also said tenants were screened carefully, adding that “even entertainers were selected” and that move-in conditions were strict.
Soyou said she once thought she would live there until she got married, but she no longer plans to marry and does not feel she needs to stay. She also said she has had an experience with a sasaeng fan coming to her home.
In the real estate market, some analysts say rents in Hannam-dong’s ultra-high-end housing go beyond basic housing costs and are closer to a “privacy fee.” They cite factors including Han River views, access to central Seoul, large floor plans, security systems and the makeup of residents as creating a pricing structure distinct from the broader rental market.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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