South Korean TV Personality Seo Jang-hoon Shares Struggles Amidst Wealth Rumors

South Korean television personality Seo Jang-hoon, who is rumored to have a net worth of 2 trillion won, opened up about his struggles during his basketball career.

On the October 4th episode of the EBS and E Channel co-produced show 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire,' Kim Jung-bin, the CEO of a recycling company with an annual revenue of 19 billion won and a corporate value of 250 billion won, made an appearance. Kim's company produces recycled materials that can replace petroleum from discarded PET bottles.

Kim introduced his business by stating, "We aim to create high-quality recycled materials to help reduce carbon emissions." Additionally, his company offers opportunities for everyone to participate in environmental protection through 1,496 recycling robots that convert waste into money.

A Harvard graduate, Kim Jung-bin shared the challenging journey to his current position. Despite graduating early as the top student from a four-year university in Gangwon Province, the job market was harsh for graduates from regional universities. To overcome this, he pursued further studies at Harvard, working and studying simultaneously to cover his tuition.

After graduation, Kim worked at the dream company Samsung and as the CEO of a steel company with an annual revenue of 500 billion won before founding his recycling business. He revealed that during his time at the steel company, he earned an annual salary of 300 million won and managed a budget of 3 trillion won, which caused him extreme stress, leading to hair loss. Seo Jang-hoon empathized, saying, "During my basketball career, I played for 6 out of 10 professional teams. The more money you earn, the higher the expectations." He added, "There's no place that pays more and is comfortable."

Kim chose the recycling business because he wanted to tackle a challenging issue through business. In 2016, he started his company by renting a 3-pyeong meeting room from a senior's company, facing skepticism about the profitability of recycling. However, thanks to an investor who recognized his potential, he was able to launch his product and achieved a cumulative investment of 40 billion won in seven years. Today, his company has grown to employ 180 people and operates a 4,000-pyeong recycling plant.

Kim emphasized living with a sense of guilt, stating, "From birth to death, humans are cared for by Earth's ecosystem, but instead of reciprocating, we harm the planet. We should live with a sense of guilt about this, even if it's uncomfortable."

EBS and E Channel's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire' airs every Wednesday at 9:55 PM.

Reported by Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr