TV Personality Seo Jang-hoon Offers Tough Love Advice on 'Ask Anything'

TV personality Seo Jang-hoon gave some tough love advice to a guest on the show.

On the October 6th episode of KBS Joy's 'Ask Anything', airing at 8 PM, a 47-year-old guest who lost a total of 180 million won (approximately $150,000) due to rental fraud and voice phishing will appear.

The guest shares that he started working in accounting right after high school due to his family's difficult financial situation. He saved 80% of his 580,000 won (approximately $480) monthly salary with the sole goal of buying his own home. However, while looking for an officetel rental, he met a real estate agent whose friendly demeanor led him to trust and proceed with a contract, only to later discover it was a rental scam due to a double contract.

Despite this setback, the guest worked even harder, quickly rising to a financial and accounting management position. He got married and bought a villa worth 300 million won (approximately $250,000), leading a stable life. However, while preparing to move to a more convenient location, another crisis struck.

A phone call triggered by a credit card issuance message led to a voice phishing scam. Following the instructions of a group impersonating financial institutions and prosecutors, he fell into a so-called 'zombie phone' state, ultimately losing 120 million won (approximately $100,000).

Upon hearing the story, Seo Jang-hoon commented, "It's so unfortunate. While it's good to live diligently, there was a lack of awareness about the world." He pointed out that the scam methods were outdated, yet the guest was unaware because he rarely watched the news or accessed information.

Seo Jang-hoon then pretends to offer a solution to recover the losses, handing over a piece of paper, which the guest follows without suspicion. Seo then remarks, "How could I possibly recover your money? I'm just a TV personality," highlighting the guest's gullible nature and urging caution once more.

Additionally, the episode will feature stories such as a 'stock master' obsessed with buying stocks and a Japanese guest who feels deeply betrayed after discovering her best friend secretly met with her ex-boyfriend. These stories can be seen on the October 6th episode of 'Ask Anything' at 8 PM.

Reporter: Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr