BTOB's Yook Sungjae Goes Full Batman: Inside the 30-Year-Old's All-Black "Bat Cave" Home

by Hannah / May 31, 2025 02:09 PM EDT

When your aesthetic choices border on obsession - and somehow make perfect sense

There's commitment to a theme, and then there's whatever BTOB's Yook Sungjae is doing with his apartment. The 30-year-old idol-actor just gave viewers a tour of his Seongsu-dong home on MBC's "I Live Alone," and let's just say - if Batman ever needed a vacation rental in Seoul, this would be it.

Welcome to the Dark Side (Literally)

When Sungjae opened the doors to his place on the May 30th episode of "나혼산" (as the show is affectionately known), even the usually unflappable Rainbow Club members were left speechless. "It's really black," they gasped, and honestly, that might be the understatement of the year.

Everything - and I mean everything - is black. The furniture, the walls, the appliances. This isn't just a design choice; it's a lifestyle commitment that would make goth kids everywhere weep with pride.

"The color of my heart is black," Sungjae joked with that trademark BTOB humor, but there's actually method to this darkness. As someone who works late into the night and sleeps during the day (the idol schedule is brutal, folks), he's always preferred dimmer environments. "Since I usually finish work late and sleep in the morning, I've always liked darker surroundings," he explained. "So I thought, why not just lean into it and make my place like a bat cave?"

The Lengths People Go for Their Aesthetic

Here's where it gets both impressive and slightly unhinged. Sungjae didn't just buy black furniture and call it a day. He had custom pieces made specifically to achieve his vision. When the cast spotted his sleek black refrigerator and asked where he found it, his response was peak dedication: "If there's no new model available, you have to search around and find an old one."

The man literally hunted down vintage appliances to maintain his color scheme. That's the kind of commitment most people reserve for finding the perfect wedding dress.

Even his bathroom got the treatment - though he had to draw the line somewhere. While the toilet, bathtub, and sink remained white ("the designer told me I didn't know about bacterial infections," he admitted with a laugh), everything else that could be black, was black.

The Plot Twist: He Chose This Apartment for Its Lack of Windows

In what might be the most revealing detail about Sungjae's personality, he confessed that the limited windows were actually a selling point. While other units in his building have more natural light, he specifically chose the one with fewer windows. "I bought this place because one wall doesn't have windows," he explained, leaving only small ventilation windows for practical purposes.

This is either the most self-aware purchase decision ever, or we're witnessing someone who's really, really committed to the vampire aesthetic.

DIY Disasters and Dad Advice

The episode took a hilarious turn when Sungjae decided to tackle some home improvement projects. Fresh off drama filming (he's currently starring in "The Haunted Palace"), he finally had time to focus on interior tweaks. His first mission? Hanging a black clock on the wall.

What followed was pure comedy gold. After buying a drill, Sungjae called his father - who used to work in construction - for guidance. Watching this successful idol-actor get step-by-step drilling instructions from dad over the phone was both endearing and relatable. The joy on his face when he successfully mounted that clock? Priceless.

"I'm so excited that I can drill holes since this is my own place," he beamed, and honestly, that's exactly the kind of homeowner energy we love to see.

When Obsession Meets Reality: The Air Conditioner Incident

But then came the project that would test even Sungjae's determination: the air conditioner. Unable to find a black AC unit (apparently even appliance manufacturers have limits), he decided to take matters into his own hands with black adhesive film.

"I really wanted to buy a black air conditioner, but they don't exist," he said, brandishing rolls of black vinyl like a man on a mission. "It's so white, so I thought, 'I'm going to make that black someday.'"

What happened next was peak variety show content. Despite confidently declaring that sheet vinyl application would be easy ("My mom is really handy, and I have that DIY DNA"), Sungjae quickly discovered that covering an embedded ceiling unit is not a one-person job.

Cue the footage of him literally jumping off chairs and flying through the air trying to apply the vinyl, while veteran variety star Jeon Hyun-moo watched in horror, calling him "completely crazy."

The Price of Perfection

Sungjae's internal monologue during this ordeal was comedy gold: "I'm crazy. Trying to do this alone. This is insane. What am I supposed to do with this?" But driven by what he called his "black interior obsession," he refused to give up.

He managed to get some of the vinyl applied, but then reality hit: the vinyl was too thick, and the air conditioner remote stopped working properly. The solution? "Let's leave it to the professionals," he finally conceded.

When asked about the current state of his AC, Sungjae's response was wonderfully matter-of-fact: "It's still stuck on there like that. The remote doesn't really work, but it functions if you hold it directly against the unit."

Park Na-rae's assessment? "He seems like an extraordinary person."

The Bigger Picture: Idol Life and Home Ownership

There's something genuinely touching about this episode beyond the laughs. At 30, Sungjae has achieved what many young Koreans can only dream of - owning property in trendy Seongsu-dong, one of Seoul's hippest neighborhoods. The area has transformed from an industrial district into a creative hub, and real estate there isn't cheap.

For context, homeownership at 30 in Seoul is a significant achievement, especially for someone who's spent years as an idol with an unpredictable income. The pure joy Sungjae expressed about being able to drill holes in his own walls speaks to a milestone many Korean millennials are still working toward.

What's Next for the Bat Cave Owner?

Sungjae's commitment to his aesthetic is about to be tested by his packed schedule. He's gearing up for his solo comeback with his first mini-album "All About Blue" on June 19, followed by solo concerts "The Blue Journey" on June 21-22 at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.

The irony isn't lost on anyone that someone so obsessed with black is releasing an album about blue. But knowing Sungjae's sense of humor, that's probably intentional.

As we've learned from "I Live Alone" over the years, the show's charm lies in these glimpses into how celebrities really live when the cameras aren't rolling (well, except for these cameras). The show follows the daily lives of single celebrities without significant filtering, and Sungjae's episode delivered exactly that - unfiltered, authentic, and wonderfully weird.

His "bat cave" might not be everyone's cup of tea, but you have to admire the commitment. In a world where everyone's trying to fit in, sometimes it's refreshing to see someone who's fully committed to their own particular brand of weird.

And honestly? If you're going to live alone, you might as well make it exactly what you want - even if that means hunting down vintage black appliances and attempting dangerous DIY projects in the name of aesthetic perfection.