Korean Entertainers Lee Kyung-sil and Cho Hye-ryun Share Their Investment Failures

Korean entertainers Lee Kyung-sil and Cho Hye-ryun have opened up about their investment failures.

On the YouTube channel 'Shin Women,' released on the 10th, Lee Kyung-sil, Cho Hye-ryun, and Lee Sun-min candidly shared their personal experiences and stories related to investments. Both Lee and Cho admitted, “In over 30 years in the entertainment industry, there’s no investment we haven’t tried,” as they revealed their failures in stocks, real estate, business, and gold.

Lee Kyung-sil shared, “I started investing in stocks a few years ago, and I lost over 300 million won. I bought Samsung Electronics at 70,000 won, but I sold it when it returned to the original price after a drop. I don’t even want to look at Samsung stocks now,” she lamented.

The topic then shifted to real estate, where more stories of investment failures emerged. Cho Hye-ryun said, “About 20 years ago, I heard about a good place in Yongin and bought about 100 pyeong for 70 million won, but it still hasn’t been developed. I visited the site, and there’s no road to access it. You’d need a helicopter to get there.” She added, “Except for my land, the entire area has been developed. Yongin University and Myongji University have grown, and it’s bustling.”

Lee Kyung-sil shared a similar experience, saying, “It was 20 years ago. I heard about land in Anseong and bought about 1,600 pyeong for over 100 million won. It was an unorganized piece of land back then, and it still hasn’t been organized. I even went to the county office, and they said it might not be developed for a long time.”

Lee Sun-min also shared a painful real estate memory. She said, “When I was 21, my mother bought a semi-basement house in Nangok-dong for 105 million won, hearing that a light rail and redevelopment were coming. The light rail hasn’t even started, and now the house is worth 85 million won.”

The three joked about swapping each other’s lands, humorously reflecting on their past investment failures. Cho Hye-ryun concluded, “Through various failures, I’ve realized I can consistently do what I do best and engage in creative work.” She recently acquired and operates an art house theater in Daehakro following the success of her self-produced play 'I Love You, Mom.' Lee Kyung-sil also noted, “If you have a talent, you should use it and not be greedy for anything else.”

Meanwhile, 'Shin Women' has revamped its format to break away from the traditional studio setting, aiming for more relaxed conversations. Lee Kyung-sil, Cho Hye-ryun, and Lee Sun-min are trying to create a unique chemistry with their lively and meaningful discussions.

Reporter Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr