Kim Jang-hoon: "I earn money through business, not music"

Singer Kim Jang-hoon has revealed a unique philosophy of "separating profit and art," stating that while he generates income through various businesses, he intends to keep his concert ticket prices low. Currently running a grilled fish restaurant that records monthly sales of 350 million won and is even pushing to open a second location, he expressed his intention to provide performances to audiences at the lowest possible prices, saying, "I will earn money through business and treat music like a hobby."

Appearing on MBN's 'Dongchimi' aired on the 8th, Kim shared his views on economics and performances under the theme "Where did all that money go?"

During the show, Kim Yong-man introduced Kim, asking, "Your bank balance is 1 million won, but your total donations exceed 20 billion won. Did preparing for performances make you rethink money?"

In response, Kim revealed that he is currently running several businesses simultaneously. "I do a lot of business. I have a cosmetics business and I opened a grilled fish restaurant," he said, adding, "I try to earn money relentlessly."

Specifically mentioning the success of his grilled fish restaurant, he stated, "Celebrities often fail at business, but I am not like that. The grilled fish restaurant generates 350 million won in sales. I am opening a second location."

Kim's economic view, which clearly distinguishes between a celebrity's main profession and their business ventures, aligns with his long-standing way of working. In the past, he has shown his own philosophy regarding "how to earn money" and "how to use money" by investing a significant portion of his income into social donations and performances.

This time, however, he emphasized his side as an active entrepreneur. Rather than just a side job using his fame, his strategy is to reduce economic pressure in his musical activities by securing stable profits from his businesses.

Kim revealed that he has lowered his concert ticket prices to as much as 77,000 won, saying, "When the tide comes in, you should row, but when the tide comes in, I will lower the ticket prices."

He continued, emphasizing, "Still, there must be some romance. I remember it being difficult when performances became just a job. I pride myself on earning money through business and treating music like a hobby—keeping tickets the cheapest and the performances the best."

This statement somewhat runs counter to the general economic logic of today's performance industry. As production costs, labor, venue rentals, and equipment costs for large-scale shows rise, concert ticket prices are also continuously increasing; his idea is to increase audience accessibility rather than maximizing the profitability of the performance itself.

In particular, in the popular music market, concerts are evolving beyond simple spaces for listening to music into experiential products. As the scarcity and presence of a star, along with the scale of the performance, become important factors in determining ticket prices, performances by popular singers have become "premium content" that requires a significant cost to experience.

In that flow, Kim's principle of "cheap tickets, best performances" can be interpreted as placing emphasis on the public nature and accessibility of the performance rather than commercial efficiency.

However, an unexpected price debate broke out during the broadcast.

Yoon Hyung-bin reacted by saying, "Isn't 77,000 won also expensive?" He added, "Comedy is cheap. Comedy is around 25,000 to 35,000 won. Ten comedians come out at a time."

When Kim Yong-man asked what price would be good for Kim's concert tickets, Yoon Hyung-bin answered "28,000 won?" without a moment's hesitation. Kim eventually showed a look of anger at the unexpected low-price suggestion, drawing laughter.

However, this scene goes beyond a simple variety show happening and shows the differing perceptions of the public regarding performance pricing. It is a point where the view of a performance as a cultural enjoyment right clashes with the view that a star's performance is also a commodity traded in the market.

For Kim, a performance is not merely a means of generating profit. For a long time, he has used performances as a space to confirm his musical identity. He has valued the presence of interacting directly with the audience over the scale of the stage or box office numbers, and has continued to perform even while struggling with excessive performance schedules and production cost burdens.

The reason he said, "I remember it being difficult when performances became just a job," is in the same context. The moment one must do music for a living, music becomes labor, and music that has become labor can transform from something one loved into an economic obligation.

That is why he chose to separate business and music. He intends to pursue profit strictly in business, while seeking joy and perfection in music rather than economic efficiency. His words, "I earn money through business and treat music like a hobby," may sound like a light joke, but they can be read as a survival strategy and a creative philosophy of a musician who has experienced the pop music industry for a long time.

Kim has been famous for his charitable activities since the past. As mentioned on the broadcast, his cumulative donations are known to exceed 20 billion won, and his comment about having a low bank balance has long drawn public interest.

Ultimately, Kim's current path is not that of a "celebrity who doesn't earn money," but rather one who "distinguishes where to earn money and where to spend it." He follows strict market logic in business while maintaining a distance from that logic during his performances.

More eye-catching than the 350 million won in sales from his restaurant is his choice to lower concert ticket prices despite that success. The logic of a successful entrepreneur and the logic of a musician pursuing romance coexist within one person.

However, the "extreme" price of 28,000 won suggested by Yoon Hyung-bin struck a nerve with Kim's pride. For Kim, who earns hundreds of millions through business while speaking of romance in his music, 28,000 won felt more like a challenge than romance.

Ultimately, the message revealed on the broadcast was simple: earn money, but do not let music become subordinate to it. Keep it affordable for the audience, and keep the stage as intense as possible.

It is the conclusion reached by a singer who has stood on stage for decades. In business, he will "row when the tide comes in," and in music, he will enjoy that tide alongside his audience.