Ham Ik-byeong on 20 Years at Gangnam Tower Palace: “Yangjaecheon Feels Like My Own”

Dermatologist and broadcaster Ham Ik-byeong opened up about why he has lived for 20 years in a 93-pyeong unit at Tower Palace in Gangnam, and also shared what he sees as the secret behind becoming self-made.

In a recent appearance on a YouTube channel, Ham said, “Tower Palace was not a house I chose for investment purposes, but a home I chose to live in.” He explained that his connection to the residence began about 20 years ago, when he was living in Gaepo-dong and happened to notice the building while it was still under construction. After it was completed, he toured the interior himself and said he was won over by the home.

What appealed to him most, he said, was the setting that allowed him to use Yangjaecheon Stream in front of the building almost like his own park. “Even if I did not spend money elsewhere, I wanted to live in a spacious and good home,” Ham said, expressing his satisfaction with both Tower Palace and the surrounding environment.

Ham also referred to his childhood, when his family lived in poverty in a single-room home. “A sense of lack was the biggest driving force,” he said. Looking back on his younger years, he recalled that from his 30s until the age of 45, he threw himself almost entirely into work, barely taking breaks except on weekends and holidays.

Amid the attention around the video, a comment from an online user who said they had once worked as Ham Ik-byeong’s hired designated driver also drew notice. The commenter wrote, “I am the designated driver who drove you a long time ago, when you were riding in a black SM5. You had a good personality and spoke warmly to me, so I still remember it. I still see you in a good light.” The comment added another favorable impression of Ham’s public image.