Comedian Lee Bong-won confessed the story of how he ended up borrowing 700 million won in private loans due to consecutive business failures. Photo by SBS Entertainment Program 'Take Off Your Shoes, Dolsing Fourmen' broadcast capture
[Asia Economy Online Issue Team] Comedian Lee Bong-won confessed to having to resort to private loans due to consecutive business failures.
On the 11th, Lee Bong-won appeared on SBS entertainment program 'Take Off Your Shoes, Dolsing Fourmen' and revealed the story behind his debt of 700 million won.
On this day, Lee Bong-won, married for 29 years, and Park Jun-hyung, married for 17 years, visited the 'Dolsing Fourmen' members. Especially for Lee Bong-won, who had many incidents, Tak Jae-hoon said, "(If things went wrong) you would have kept borrowing," to which Lee Bong-won replied, "We're not the type to beg, we're real men, we're not cheap men," emphasizing, "The word divorce is taboo. The moment you say it, it's really divorce."
Lee Bong-won continued, "Since we're in the entertainment industry, the probability of failing in business is high. But through that, you naturally gain know-how. I thought I could just earn again through broadcasting, so I was less desperate," sharing the story of failing in business seven times.
Lee Bong-won confessed, "You shouldn't be discouraged just because your business fails. My wife isn't the type to nag harshly," and added, "I didn't borrow money from my wife. Rather, I borrowed private loans elsewhere," surprising those around him. He also shared experiences of a department store he had purchased going bankrupt, and restaurants such as a samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) place, a meat restaurant, and a coffee shop he opened all closing due to lack of customers.
Not stopping there, Lee Bong-won also ran an acting academy business, saying, "Since there was no acting academy in Ilsan, I thought it would definitely succeed, but I had to compete with similar businesses. There was a misjudgment in location selection," and eventually closed the business.
Regarding the 700 million won debt including private loans, Lee Bong-won said, "I paid it all off over 10 years by working in broadcasting and events without asking for help. Still, I feel sorry for not being able to give living expenses to (Park Mi-sun)," adding, "But my wife earned a lot." Other cast members reacted, "This is definitely grounds for divorce. 700 million won in private loans, that's really divorce-worthy," getting upset. Lee Bong-won responded with a laugh, "Did you come from the child's mother's family?" causing laughter.
Despite being in debt, Lee Bong-won said he paid for drinks with his colleagues. He said, "Even when just drinking beer costing 500,000 won, Choi Yang-rak hyung should have paid, but he got drunk and fell asleep. Whether the debt is 700 million won or 700 million won and 500,000 won, what's the difference? There's no big difference."
Park Jun-hyung said, "Everyone clapped, and in the end, Bong-won hyung paid," and Tak Jae-hoon replied, "That's why Yang-rak hyung is living well now," drawing laughter.
When asked if there was the biggest crisis during his 29 years of marriage, he laughed and answered, "It's always a crisis, so not really."
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