The Korean media outlet Dispatch has revealed text messages that were allegedly exchanged between Lee Byung Hun and model Lee Ji Yeon, one of the two women recently convicted of blackmailing him. The text messages imply more than a casual relationship between the two although they do not in any way excuse blackmail. Also, Dispatch has not revealed the source of the text messages, so they cannot be confirmed.
Lee Byung Hun's agency BH Entertainment has vowed to seek legal action in response to any claims made without sufficient evidence.
"In the period leading up to the verdict, those making false claims pertaining to the trial will face consequences," said BH Entertainment. "As the truth will be revealed by the final verdict in ten days, there is no value in propagating such rumors. We request that you await the results of the trial. Going forward, we will have no choice but to take strong measures against all false reports and rumors pertaining to this case."
Supposedly, the texts suggest that Lee Byung Hun wanted a sexual relationship with the model but she was reluctant. Dispatch claims they also spoke to a source that was present when the actor and model met. According to the Dispatch source, the actor gave Lee Ji Yeon gifts, including wine, makeup, a cell phone and cash to pay her cell phone bills. She allegedly told him that her phone was shut off because she could not pay her bills. But that was not true, as her parents already stated that they paid her phone bills. According to the Dispatch source, she immediately returned the cash to him.
The texts provided by The Dispatch allege that the actor asked Lee Ji Yeon if he was going to be lucky romantically and she said that it depended. At the trial she said they had an affair. He denied it. The Dispatch source claimed that during one of their earlier meetings that Lee Byung Hun and Lee Ji Yeon played cards and he asked her to kiss him. The Dispatch source said it was on that night that Da Hee filmed Lee Byung Hun engaged in a conversation of a sexual nature. She later asked him for $5 million or she would release the conversation to the media.
According to the Dispatch report, Lee Byung Hun and Lee Ji Yeon last met on August 14, when he decided he could no longer see her. At the blackmail trial he said he stopped socializing with Lee ji Yeon and Da Hee because they kept talking about money problems. The source said the model spoke about money problems to turn the conversation away from sex.
Dispatch has not revealed the name of their source. Lee Byung Hun is currently in Los Angeles with his wife, actress Lee Min Jung.
