Model Lee Hyun-i clarifies husband's bonus status: 'There could be a misunderstanding'

Model and broadcaster Lee Hyun-i has drawn attention after commenting on the performance bonus of her husband, a senior engineer in Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division.

On Thursday's episode of MBC variety show "Save Me! Holmes," Lee joined host Kim Suk to scout real estate in Dongtan new town in Gyeonggi Province.

Dongtan, widely regarded as a bedroom community for Samsung Electronics employees, has seen home prices surge so sharply in recent years that locals have taken to calling it "Geumtan" — a play on the Korean word for gold.

"If you're interested in real estate, the prices here will shock you," Kim said, to which Lee replied, "My husband commutes to work around here," referencing her Samsung Electronics-employed spouse.

Kim responded with exaggerated congratulations — "Seriously, isn't your husband on the original semiconductor side?" — making clear she had the company's reported nine-figure bonuses in mind.

Lee pushed back, saying, "There could be a misunderstanding — my husband is currently on academic leave, so he's not included in the bonus. It's still being negotiated."

Lee, who lives in the Gangnam area of Seoul, said she had visited Dongtan to scout townhouses as a potential move. "I was thinking about living in a townhouse there," she said, "but by the time I made up my mind, prices had already shot up."

Having a husband at Samsung Electronics has made Lee a recurring subject of similar questions across multiple programs.

On the Aug. 18 episode of SBS's "Same Bed, Different Dreams — You Are My Destiny," host Seo Jang-hoon asked Lee whether her husband held any Samsung Electronics shares. "Not as far as I know," she said.

She then revealed her own position: "I bought some at 59,000 won ($43) a share. I never sold them — I bought them and completely forgot about them. I have about 100 shares."

Lee also returned to her husband's bonus situation, saying, "My husband is at school right now because of his studies. It seems like they're still discussing whether to give him a performance bonus at all."

The topic first gained traction in June, when Lee's husband shared a news article on his personal social media reporting that Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division had tentatively decided to pay academic-leave employees 50 percent of the special management performance bonus. He added the caption "Loyalty, loyalty" alongside a saluting emoji.