Im Chae-mu sells Yeouido homes to fund Duriland amusement park

Actor Im Chae-mu revealed that he has invested more than 25 billion won into Duriland, the amusement park he has been operating. His decision to sustain the business—even after disposing of his Mokdong commercial buildings, Anseong villa, yacht, camping car, and two residential properties in Yeouido—is driven by a unique management philosophy that prioritizes children's laughter over profitability.

Appearing on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' on the 2nd, Im explained the operational process and financial burdens of Duriland, which has been running for 37 years.

When Yoo Jae Suk mentioned that Duriland, into which Im poured his entire fortune for the sake of children, has endured deficits for a long time, Im replied, "It's not that we've been in deficit since we opened; we were debtors from the start because we operated on loans." He explained that fixed costs such as electricity bills, employee salaries, taxes, and maintenance fees are substantial, noting that the burden of maintenance fees is particularly high.

He also disclosed the specific scale of the investment in Duriland. Im stated, "The money put in so far might be over 25 billion won," adding, "If I calculate the money I earned and the assets I have liquidated over the years, it would be around that amount."

The extent of the assets he disposed of was significant. He sequentially cleared his Mokdong commercial buildings, Anseong villa, yacht, and camping car, and sold both of his houses in Yeouido. He even remarked that he eventually "had nowhere else to go, so I moved into a small studio apartment."

The starting point of Duriland dates back to 1990. Im revealed that he started the amusement park business at that time by investing 10 billion won of his own capital and 4 billion won in loans. It was essentially an investment of the economic foundation he built during a period when he enjoyed considerable popularity as an actor.

His economic peak at the time was also significant. As the drama 'Love and Truth' gained great popularity, Im received his appearance fees in cash, and he recalled, "At that time, I was earning about 100 million won a month. It was incredible." However, his substantial income did not lead to stable asset accumulation. He reinvested a large portion of the money he earned back into the facilities and operation of Duriland.

The scale was not the same as it is now from the beginning. Im explained that he originally planned for a floor area of about 700 pyeong, but he continuously expanded the facilities with the thought that he needed to create spaces to shelter people from the rain and accommodate more guests more comfortably. In this process, the amusement park transformed from a simple private business into a space where his long-term labor and tenacity have accumulated.

He also spent a considerable amount of time personally building the facilities. Im said that he personally built about 70% to 80% of the current facilities, even performing welding and painting. "If you think any task is difficult, you won't be able to do it. It's fun," he said, adding, "No one knows the joy felt when it is completed."

Duriland is also unique in that it is a business utilizing the public recognition he built as an actor. Having been active across living rooms and movie screens since the 1970s, Im has shown his presence in various works, including 'Love and Truth', 'Country Diaries', 'The Third Republic', and 'Dear Heaven'. In particular, he established himself as a familiar actor to the public for a long time based on his dignified appearance and stable acting skills.

However, another reason his name became widely known beyond the entertainment industry was Duriland. The fact that a famous actor personally created and operated an amusement park for decades was an unusual phenomenon. While typical celebrity businesses aim to maximize profits by utilizing brands and recognition, Im's Duriland has followed a different trajectory by attempting to protect the purpose of the space he established, even at the expense of profitability.

This is also why Im does not give up on Duriland. He does not set the criteria for business success solely on sales or asset growth, saying, "Seeing that the employees' salaries are not delayed means things are going well." He continued, "Even if the children don't look at me, it is enough for me to see them laughing."

Recently, the social function of Duriland has also been expanding. Beyond the category of a simple amusement park, it is expanding its role as a space for children and families, such as partnering with social welfare institutions to allow children with disabilities to use the facilities. He explained that he is also expanding the meaning of the operation by preparing performances for children.

Duriland's operation also involves his daughter, Doori. She told the broadcast that her father is especially happy when he sees children enjoying themselves, saying, "See, I told you the kids would like it." This highlights the emotional bond between father and daughter that sits at the heart of a business that cannot be explained by profit alone.

Of course, the scale of 25 billion won is by no means light for a single individual to bear. Given that he sustained the business by disposing of real estate and various assets and even downsizing his own living space, the history of Duriland is less a case of a successful celebrity investment and more akin to a personal project where an individual invested long-term assets and labor into a value they deemed important.

Ultimately, Im is demonstrating a different meaning of "earning money" through Duriland. To him, wealth was not the final goal of accumulation, but rather a means to realize a desired space in reality. His words, "No one knows the joy felt when it is completed," serve as the most direct explanation of the 37-year history of Duriland.