Inside the 54-unit Samseong-dong complex where K-pop stars buy from each other

Samseong-dong in Gangnam-gu has long been regarded as Seoul's nexus of wealth and business. The neighborhood presents a glamorous urban face, yet step inside its residential blocks and the atmosphere turns calm and quiet. Its combination of transport links, lifestyle amenities and tight security has made it a favored address for entertainers and figures from politics and business for decades.

At the center of that reputation stands Brownstone Legend. Built roughly 17 years ago as the area's premier luxury mixed-use residential tower, the 54-unit complex attracted top celebrities from the moment it opened. This article takes a closer look at the storied, if compact, building.

Pre-sale prices hit 2.05 billion won when Apgujeong Hyundai's 82-square-meter units were trading at 1.3 billion won ($942,000)

The complex was completed by Isu Construction 17 years ago and comprises just 54 units across six floor-plan types ranging from 212 to 365 square meters in supply area. The building rises from five basement levels to 20 above-ground floors and sits a one-minute walk from Gangnam-gu Office Station, making it one of the most transit-convenient addresses in the district.

When it launched in 2009, Brownstone Legend was considered among the most expensive new residential offerings in Seoul. The smallest unit type, at 212 square meters, reportedly carried a pre-sale price of around 2.05 billion won. The 365-square-meter penthouse was priced at 3.5 billion won — roughly 31 million won per 3.3 square meters.

For context, an 82-square-meter unit at Hyundai Apartment in Apgujeong-dong was changing hands for about 1.3 billion won at the same time, and an 84-square-meter unit at Samseong-dong Hillstate could be had for 1.15 billion won. The gap underscores just how premium Brownstone Legend's pricing was.

Landmark towers such as Samseong-dong I'Park and Dogok-dong Tower Palace already existed in 2009, yet top celebrities gravitated toward Brownstone Legend. The main draw was privacy: with only 54 units, the building offered a level of discretion that larger complexes could not match. To reinforce that, the developers installed an unmanned electronic security system, remote utility-meter reading and an underground-parking intercom system that allows emergency alerts to be sent directly to individual units from the garage.

Despite its small scale, Brownstone Legend offers amenities on par with much larger complexes. Residents can use a fitness center, a golf practice range, an event hall large enough for small concerts, an audiovisual room for music and films, and private lesson rooms for instrument or vocal practice — all without leaving the building. Parking is equally generous: 218 spaces for 54 units works out to more than four spots per household, a selling point that resonated strongly with celebrity residents.

The complex's other key strength is its location. It sits one step removed from the heavy foot traffic of major business hubs such as Gangnam Station, Yeoksam Station and Samseong Station, yet its position on a main boulevard near Line 7's Gangnam-gu Office Station makes it easy to reach by car — a combination that has long appealed to stars who value both accessibility and anonymity.

The Olympic Expressway, Yeongdong Bridge and Cheongdam Bridge all provide quick access to the rest of Seoul and to major highways. Hyundai Department Store, Galleria, COEX and the Korea World Trade Center are all nearby.

Interiors were finished to match the building's premium positioning. Like other high-end mixed-use towers, units were fitted with imported furniture and luxury materials — natural marble flooring, mother-of-pearl panels and imported fabric shoe cabinets among the details that set them apart from conventional apartments.

The open-plan living and kitchen layout was designed with the residents' social habits in mind, allowing hosts to prepare food and drinks while staying engaged with guests. Bathrooms are generously sized and come equipped with a couple's bathroom phone, a TV phone and a whirlpool tub.

Lee Hyo-ri's first marital home, Shin Se-kyung among residents — asking prices now reach 7.2 billion won

Brownstone Legend is perhaps best known as the building where singer Lee Hyo-ri and singer Lee Seung-gi each bought units. Lee Hyo-ri purchased a move-in right for an eighth-floor, 219-square-meter unit in May 2009 and lived there until 2017, when she relocated to Jeju Island — the apartment having served as her first marital home with husband Lee Sang-soon.

According to court registry records, Lee sold the unit in 2017 to Park Gyu-ri, a member of the idol group Kara, for 2.1 billion won. Park held the property for four years before selling it in 2021 for 2.9 billion won, netting a gain of about 800 million won. Lee Seung-gi, who also bought a unit at pre-sale, continues to own it.

Actor Kim Woo-bin purchased a unit in May 2015 for 1.94 billion won and lived there for about two years before taking on former Big Bang member Seungri as a tenant in July 2017 at a jeonse deposit of 1.7 billion won. Kim reportedly sold the unit two years later. Actress Shin Se-kyung also lived in the complex from 2022 to 2025, paying a lease deposit of about 2.7 billion won.

Despite the parade of celebrity owners, actual transaction prices at Brownstone Legend have been relatively subdued compared with other prime Gangnam addresses. The main constraint has been the land transaction permit zone designation covering much of Samseong-dong, which has restricted the volume of deals for years. The owner-occupancy requirement — buyers must live in the unit for two years after purchase — has also effectively blocked jeonse-backed gap investment and other speculative capital, contributing to a prolonged period of thin trading.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's actual transaction price disclosure system, the peak recorded sale for the smallest 169-square-meter type (exclusive use area; all figures below on the same basis) was 2.77 billion won, transacted in October 2019. The 201-square-meter type last sold for 3.34 billion won in April 2022 with no deals since. The 204-square-meter type changed hands for 5.1 billion won in a direct transaction in March 2025 and has not traded since; the 219-square-meter type last sold for 4.4 billion won; and the 238-square-meter type last traded in January 2018 at 2.55 billion won.

Current asking prices are tracking the surrounding market. Listed 219-square-meter units are priced between 6.29 billion won and 7.2 billion won depending on floor, approaching 100 million won per 3.3 square meters. Units that have undergone interior renovation command the higher end of that range.

Samseong-dong development pipeline seen as a price catalyst — 'ten minutes from Daechi-dong' tops the location pitch

A wave of newer ultra-luxury projects — including reconstruction apartments in Banpo and high-end towers such as PH129 and Eterno Cheongdam in nearby Cheongdam-dong — has diluted Brownstone Legend's standing somewhat. Even so, experts say the broader Samseong-dong area retains unmatched long-term value.

Two major projects are under way nearby: the Yeongdong Boulevard underground transit hub and Hyundai Motor Group's Global Business Complex. The underground section of Yeongdong Boulevard is set to consolidate KTX high-speed rail, GTX-A express rail, Seoul Metro Lines 2 and 9, and the Wirye-Sinsa line into a single interchange. Once all construction is complete, Samseong-dong is expected to become the country's premier hub for both transport and business.

Those large-scale catalysts are expected to benefit mixed-use complexes in the vicinity, including Brownstone Legend. While newer high-end towers are being built, the scarcity of established luxury complexes with generous exclusive-use areas in a core Gangnam location is only likely to grow. New supply of units exceeding 200 square meters in exclusive area within prime Gangnam remains limited.

Education infrastructure is another pillar supporting residential values in Samseong-dong. Its proximity to Daechi-dong means the area draws a steady stream of owner-occupiers with school-age children, making it one of the most consistently sought-after addresses within Gangnam.

Near the complex, Hakdong Elementary School, Eonbuk Middle School, Eonju Middle School and Jinseon Girls' Middle School are all within reach. For high school, the location sits at the heart of Gangnam's prestigious School District 8, giving students access to established schools including Gyeonggi High School, Yeongdong High School and Jinseon Girls' High School — a full educational pathway from elementary through high school.

The Daechi-dong hagwon belt is also close at hand, reachable in about 10 minutes by car. Even without its own large private-education cluster, the neighborhood effectively shares Daechi-dong's tutoring infrastructure, functioning as a residential base that taps directly into it.

"If the newest super-luxury complexes in Cheongdam-dong — PH129 and Eterno Cheongdam — are commanding sale prices approaching 10 billion won on the strength of Han River views, Brownstone Legend's advantage is that it is a quiet, stable urban residential complex for genuine owner-occupiers," a local real estate agent said.