Lim Chae-mu becomes ambassador for people with developmental disabilities despite 19 billion won debt

Actor Lim Chae-mu is continuing his long-standing commitment to philanthropy by participating in social contribution activities to expand cultural opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

The Down Welfare Center, a social welfare corporation, announced that it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Duriland, a theme park located in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do, and appointed Lim as its official ambassador.

The agreement aims to provide diverse experiential opportunities to people with developmental disabilities, who are often marginalized in cultural and leisure activities, while working to improve social perceptions of disabilities.

Moving forward, Lim plans to participate in disability awareness campaigns alongside the Down Welfare Center and contribute to various social contribution programs to expand cultural accessibility.

"If Duriland was a space that instilled dreams and fantasies in children, I hope it will become a complex cultural space that also delivers hope to people with developmental disabilities in the future," Lim stated. "I want to contribute even in a small way toward creating a society where everyone can laugh together, regardless of whether they have a disability."

Shin Myeong-jin, director of the Down Welfare Center, said, "The happiness of people with disabilities is only complete when all members of the local community come together. We expect to deliver hope and warm messages to more people alongside ambassador Lim."

Lim's philanthropic efforts have spanned decades.

In 1989, he used his own funds to establish Duriland, a children's amusement park in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do, and has maintained the space for children by keeping it open for free for many years. Through these efforts, he has earned the reputation of being "the actor who protects children's dreams."

He also gained widespread attention for fulfilling a promise to provide apartments to employees who worked for more than three years, gifting 18-pyeong apartments to 26 staff members. It is reported that some employees still reside in the housing provided at that time.

However, these acts of generosity have come with a significant economic burden. Lim has revealed on various broadcasts that his cumulative debt reached approximately 19 billion won during the operation of Duriland, with large monthly costs incurred for loan interest and operating expenses.

Despite this, he expressed his intention to continue his social contribution activities and expand Duriland into a cultural space that serves not only children but also people with developmental disabilities and the local community.

Lim debuted in 1973 as a 6th generation talent for MBC and has been a beloved figure for decades, appearing in numerous works such as "Three Families Under One Roof" and "Country Diaries."