Shin Dong-yup Opens Up About Reunion with Ex-Girlfriend Lee So-ra and Past Financial Struggles

Comedian Shin Dong-yup candidly shared his feelings about reuniting with his ex-girlfriend Lee So-ra on a broadcast.

On the October 6th episode of SBS's variety show 'A-ni Geun-de Jinjja!' (hereafter 'A-geun-jin'), Shin Dong-yup appeared as a guest.

Making his first appearance on a terrestrial talk show in 15 years, Shin Dong-yup explained his reason for appearing on 'A-geun-jin' by saying, "It's about time the ratings go up." In response, Tak Jae-hoon joked, "Shin Dong-yup's condition for appearing was to sit indoors. Since only his upper body is shown, we should pay him half," eliciting laughter.

Shin Dong-yup recalled a time when he was burdened with debts of around 10 billion won due to failed ventures in shoe and entertainment businesses. He shared, "It was a mentally exhausting situation. I received hundreds of missed calls during shoots. I even thought, 'Do I have to take responsibility for all of this?'"

He continued, "People around me warned me it was dangerous, but I couldn't hear them. I was blinded by something. Ultimately, it was due to my greed. Looking back, those people were like gifts. It was a time of great realization." He also advised, "Be very cautious with guarantees. I lent money with good intentions, but they repaid others with interest first and not me. It made me realize the world doesn't align with my intentions."

Notably, Shin Dong-yup revealed that his wife, PD Sun Hye-yoon, learned about his debts only after their marriage, surprising everyone. He joked, "My wife didn't know I had debts when we got married. It's a perfect story," but added, "I was working hard, so it was a structure where I could pay it off once things were sorted out."

Shin Dong-yup also shared about his reunion broadcast with ex-girlfriend, model Lee So-ra. He said, "It was the first time seeing her in 25 years since we broke up. Some might find it uncomfortable, but it's not an embarrassing past."

He added, "It was a part of my life before meeting my current wife, a trajectory. It's a page in my life. I don't think there's a need to tear that page out. I've moved on to the next chapter."

Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr