TV
Fashion Mogul Park Soon-ho's Inspiring Journey from Rags to Riches and His Generous Philanthropy
On the EBS show aired on the 22nd, Park's tumultuous life story was revealed. Born as the fourth of seven siblings in a poor family, he struggled to have regular meals during his childhood. At 14, he started working on farms and at 16, he got a job at an underwear wholesaler in Masan. Despite the harsh conditions and lack of salary, he was grateful for the meals provided and diligently learned the trade. Two years later, he moved to Busan with dreams of starting his own business. He convinced a store owner to let him start a business without a deposit, and soon dominated the Busan Central Market, earning the nickname 'Little Tycoon' in his 20s.
After establishing a wholesale base, Park ventured into clothing manufacturing, becoming the second in Korea to produce cotton T-shirts. His self-developed 'seamless turtleneck' became a sensation, leading to a successful period in his 20s. However, an unexpected setback occurred when his summer T-shirts failed due to thick material, leaving him with massive unsold stock. Despite owing 38 million won to factories, he persuaded them to invest further, and after four years of relentless work, he cleared his debts. His business soared, reaching 100 billion won in sales by 1987, 1 trillion won by 2011, and his life story inspired the 2005 drama 'Fashion 70s.'
The episode also highlighted Park's extraordinary philanthropy, with donations totaling 40 billion won over 40 years. Named 'Asia's Top Philanthropist' by Forbes Asia in 2010, he received numerous awards for his charitable work, including the Presidential Volunteer Award. His home renovation project has provided new homes for 300 families, and he ranks fifth in the Honor Society. Seo Jang-hoon expressed amazement at Park's contributions, stating, "I'm a member too, but your donations are astounding." Park concluded with his philosophy, "Growing a business and making money is important, but I want to be someone who does essential work for society. Money can't be taken with you when you die; it's important to use it wisely."
Next week's episode will feature 'The Queen of the Dumpling Kingdom, Nam Mi-kyung.' EBS 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighboring Millionaire' airs every Wednesday at 9:55 PM and is available on Netflix and Wavve.
Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr
