From Rags to Riches: The Inspiring Journey of Fashion Mogul Park Soon-ho

The incredible life story of Park Soon-ho, the real-life inspiration behind the drama 'Fashion 70s', will be unveiled on 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire'. From a penniless 'elementary school graduate' to the owner of a 'fashion empire' with an annual revenue of 1 trillion won, Park's rollercoaster journey is set to captivate audiences.

Airing on October 22 at 9:55 PM, EBS's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire' will showcase the dramatic success story of Park Soon-ho, a 'living witness of Korean clothing history'. His company, which started as a small wholesale business in Busan's central market in 1973, grew into a leading fashion enterprise in Korea. Top stars like Lee Moon-sae, Jeon Kwang-ryeol, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Dong-wook, and Namgoong Min have been its advertising models. In 2011, the company achieved the 'dream' milestone of 1 trillion won in annual sales, marking a significant achievement in the fashion industry.

Adding to the intrigue, it is revealed that Park was the real-life model for the popular 2005 drama 'Fashion 70s'. The episode will also unveil the grandeur of his 'fashion empire', which occupies an entire street in Busan with four buildings facing each other across the road.

However, Park Soon-ho's beginnings were far from glamorous. Recalling his difficult childhood, he said, "I never had the chance to wear clean clothes." Unable to attend middle school, he helped with farming from the age of 14 and worked at an underwear wholesaler in Masan at 16 to make ends meet. Despite the harsh conditions, where he suffered frostbite in winter and received only meals instead of a salary, he diligently learned the trade.

Two years later, with dreams of becoming a merchant, he moved to Busan's central market and seized the opportunity to start a store without any deposit. By exclusively supplying 130 retailers and dominating the wholesale market, he became a 'young tycoon' in his 20s. He reminisces, "I brought home money in sacks. There was so much that I couldn't tell if it was paper or bills." The 'amazing' secret behind his entry into the central market without a penny will be revealed in the broadcast.

After striking it big in clothing wholesale, he expanded into manufacturing. By persistently studying the production process during his visits to clothing factories, he became the second in Korea to produce cotton T-shirts. His self-developed 'seamless turtleneck' became a legendary hit, with demand so high that stores had to hide stock to sell it. However, his success was short-lived, as an unexpected event led to the biggest crisis of his life. "The inventory piled up like a mountain. I was 38 million won in debt, which is worth tens of billions today," he confessed, expressing deep regret.

Catch the full story on Wednesday, October 22 at 9:55 PM on EBS's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire'.

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