Lee Ha-neul recalls financial hardship after falling out with Kim Chang-yeol: 'I had to repay W200m through internet broadcasts'

Lee Ha-neul, a member of DJ DOC, has reflected on a period when he struggled financially.

Lee recently uploaded a video to his YouTube channel titled "The hardest time during my entertainment career (divorce, then COVID-19)."

"After my younger brother passed away, things fell apart between me and Chang-yeol, and DJ DOC's event bookings dried up," Lee said. "That cut off my primary source of income."

He added that for nearly three years, his fixed monthly expenses ran between 15 million and 20 million won ($13,300). "I sold off my assets one by one to cover hundreds of millions of won in costs," he said.

Lee said he ultimately turned to internet broadcasting to make ends meet, and revealed that an advance payment he had received for a planned DJ DOC concert had to be returned after activities were suspended, with the organizer demanding repayment.

"I suddenly had to repay about 200 million won all at once. The organizer even mentioned going to the press and taking legal action," Lee said. "I felt that if word got out, DJ DOC would lose any chance of making a comeback. So I used the money I earned from internet broadcasting to settle the debt first."

He went on to say, "Chang-yeol settled his share, and I settled mine. Jae-yong was in a tough spot at the time, so I said, 'Be careful with Jae-yong's share — I'll guarantee it,' and that's how we got through it. We held on like that for a year."

"As an entertainer, I had to let go of a lot of unnecessary pride and pretense," Lee said. "I came to understand what truly matters and what doesn't." He added that reconnecting with Jung Jae-yong gave him renewed resolve. "We told each other, 'Let's work hard and make something of ourselves.' We're now taking on various projects together," he said.

Meanwhile, Lee had publicly and sharply criticized fellow DJ DOC member Kim Chang-yeol after his younger brother Lee Hyeon-bae, a member of the group 45RPM, died in 2021, blaming Kim for his death.

When Kim posted a tribute on social media, Lee responded in the comments with profanity and the words, "You killed my brother." Lee claimed that Lee Hyeon-bae and Kim had agreed to go into a guesthouse project together, but that Kim abruptly pulled out, citing poor profitability, leaving Lee Hyeon-bae in financial difficulty that ultimately led to his death.

Lee and Kim later appeared to reconcile, sharing a public embrace on social media in April 2024. However, rumors of a renewed rift surfaced after Lee and Jung staged a year-end performance in December last year without Kim. Lee and Jung are currently running a beef tripe restaurant together.