TV personality Seo Jang-hoon was moved to tears by a story about a 'hospice ward for abandoned dogs.'
On the October 8th episode of EBS's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire,' the story of Lee Chul, a wealthy man who chose dogs over real estate fortune, was aired. Known as the 'Dog Wheelchair Man,' Lee Chul was once a successful construction company CEO with a monthly revenue of 40 billion KRW. However, he has since transformed into a dog wheelchair maker for 15 years, providing a new lease on life to approximately 10,000 sick dogs with his custom-made wheelchairs and aids. Each wheelchair is meticulously crafted by hand, taking into account the unique gait and body shape of each dog. The episode revealed the intricate world of dog aids, segmented as finely as those for humans, covering the cervical spine, spine, knees, and ankles.
Lee Chul's journey into dog wheelchairs began with his pet dog 'Isul,' who suffered from a congenital deformity. He recalled, "I heard a suspicious sound from a black plastic bag in an alley, and inside was a small, frail puppy abandoned." Seo Jang-hoon commented, "There should be strict qualifications for owning pets. People shouldn't abandon them just because they don't like them anymore." After Isul passed away, Lee Chul found a turning point in his life when he visited a shelter to sell a second-hand wheelchair he had bought from Japan. Witnessing how a small wheelchair could change the lives of sick dogs, he began purchasing wheelchairs from Japan to donate to shelters.
However, the demand for wheelchairs was high, and the costs were mounting. Lee Chul partnered with a colleague who ran a wheelchair factory for the elderly to create a simple yet comfortable walker for dogs. He even expanded his expertise to making prosthetics for dogs by training with a master of prosthetics and orthotics. Importantly, he did not keep his unique skills and knowledge to himself. Despite criticism for sharing his techniques, he believed, "Knowledge should be widely shared to advance. If I keep it to myself, there is no progress." He generously opens his workshop to pet owners and willingly shares his skills with those interested.
Lee Chul's good deeds continue. He donates about 10 million KRW monthly for abandoned dogs and supports shelters with a '1+1' system, providing an equal number of aids as he sells. He humbly stated, "From the start, it wasn't a business but an effort to improve the quality of life for abandoned dogs." He also shared his new dream of creating a 'hospice ward for abandoned dogs,' leaving a lasting impression. "Dogs only look to humans. It pains me that they leave this world with only memories of abandonment. I hope they remember their last moments as a happy picnic on this planet," he expressed, moving Seo Jang-hoon and others to tears.
EBS's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire' airs every Wednesday at 9:55 PM and is available on OTT platforms like Netflix and Wavve after the broadcast.
Reporter Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr