Lee Chang-hoon: "I carried 150 million won in my wallet"—the true purpose of his wealth

Actor Lee Chang-hoon revealed a shocking anecdote about carrying hundreds of millions of won in cash in his wallet during his prime. While the story highlights his glamorous lifestyle as a top star, what truly captured public attention was the final destination of that massive sum.

Appearing on MBN's 'The Time You Were Sick' on the 26th, Lee reminisced about the era when he enjoyed peak popularity as an actor. He recalled his status as a star in the 1990s, saying, "In my memory, the only celebrities who drove supercars back then were me and Yun Jong-su."

Lee also revealed his unique contract methods at the time. He stated, "When I became an exclusive actor for KBS, I signed a contract for 100 episodes at once," and added, "When I signed the contract, I received all the appearance fees in advance." In an era when the current method of settling payments after a project ends was not common, top-tier actors sometimes received their appearance fees in advance as a down payment.

He explained, "Unlike general performers, I received money in advance. If it was a 100-episode contract, there were times when I received the appearance fees for all 100 episodes upfront." He further shared the background of receiving large sums at once, adding, "At that time, appearance fees were prepaid to top stars under the guise of a down payment."

## "I didn't have time to go to the bank"

Lee's story about having 150 million won in his wallet brought even more surprise during an episode regarding his commercial appearance fees. He said, "Nowadays, when you film a commercial, the money is deposited into your bank account, but back then, once filming was finished, they gave you a check right on the spot. The most memorable check was for 78 million won. That was the amount 30 years ago."

The amount of 78 million won from 30 years ago was a massive sum, difficult to compare to modern standards. However, there was an even more surprising detail. Lee confessed, "Since I was working so much, I didn't have time to go to the bank. I just kept it in my wallet. I used to carry about 150 million won in my wallet."

It meant he carried an amount of cash that was hard to imagine at the time. Upon hearing this, Yun Jong-su could not hide his astonishment, saying, "Even big spenders wouldn't be able to carry that much in their wallets."

## The whereabouts of the hundreds of millions... the destination was his mother

However, the reason Lee's story is special is not just because of the scale of the money. His answer regarding where that money went was unexpected. When Yun asked, "Was there ever a time you wanted to spend big when you had that much money?" Lee first spoke of his childhood.

"My father passed away early, right after I turned 7. So, my mother raised one son and four daughters alone."

Having experienced economic hardship during his childhood, he thought of his family first after succeeding as an actor. Lee said, "I bought a house for my mother with that money. At that time, my mother liked houses. It was such a happy time." The massive sum of money held by the star during his prime was not for luxury or showing off, but was returned to his mother, who had sacrificed for the family for a long time.

## Not a 'symbol of wealth,' but a 'record of repayment'

The 150 million won in Lee's wallet was a symbol of the success of an actor who dominated an era. However, looking back, the meaning of that money goes beyond the simple scale of wealth. While money for a star is often linked to extravagant consumption, for Lee, money was a means to return the love he received from his family.

The moment he gifted a house to his mother, who had taken responsibility for the family alone during his childhood, the cash in his wallet became more than just property; it became a gesture of love for the person he wanted to protect most. What remains longer than the glamorous prime of an actor is not how much money he had, but what he did with it.