Gong Hyeong-jin reveals selling 10 luxury watches to pay staff

Actor Gong Hyeong-jin has candidly opened up about the business failures and economic hardships he endured during a long hiatus.

Behind the rumors of him "disappearing" or even "death" was a period of intense struggle where he had to survive as a businessman rather than an actor.

In a preview released at the end of the MBN variety show "Dongchimi" aired on the 1st, Gong appeared to share his life story under the theme, "All that money, where did it all go?"

During the broadcast, Gong confessed the harsh realities he faced while running his business, stating, "I sold luxury watches to pay my employees' salaries."

He shocked the audience by adding, "I sold 10 watches worth 100 million won each."

He revealed how he took responsibility for his employees' livelihoods by parting with his most significant assets.

Gong also confessed to the severe psychological pressure he faced, saying, "The extreme stress from the business caused my teeth to fall out."

His story is not merely a tale of a celebrity's financial failure, but a survival story of a human being hidden behind fame.

Gong has been an active actor in films and dramas since the 1990s. While he was loved for his unique, sly acting and realistic character portrayals, he began to suffer from various rumors as he became harder to find on television.

In particular, during his long hiatus, unverified rumors such as "he disappeared" or "did something terrible happen to him" spread online, even leading to "death rumors."

However, in 2023, Gong appeared on actor Shin Hyun-joon's YouTube channel and personally explained the reasons for his hiatus.

At the time, he revealed that in addition to acting, he had taken on various challenges such as producing Chinese films and running a red ginseng brand, but did not achieve the expected results. He further confessed that he even suffered from fraud while traveling back and forth to China to continue his business.

He explained his reason for leaving broadcasting by saying, "Before achieving results, it was difficult to stand before people."

While the lives of celebrities appear glamorous to the public, Gong's confession shows the reality that even successful stars are not free from failure and frustration.

In particular, the story of selling his luxury watches to secure his employees' wages was not a matter of luxury consumption, but a choice driven by responsibility and human anguish.

Standing before the camera again after 7 years, Gong's return is being viewed as more than just a television appearance; it is a declaration of resurgence by an actor who has finally found the strength to admit his failures and tell his story once again.