Seo Jang-hoon Stunned by Ultra-Frugal Doctor Who Donated 41.1 Billion Won

Seo Jang-hoon was left astonished by the everyday austerity of Ha Chung-sik, the physician introduced as a “doctor millionaire” whose personal frugality stands in sharp contrast to the scale of his public giving.

On June 3, EBS aired an episode of “Seo Jang-hoon’s Millionaire Next Door” featuring Ha Chung-sik under the theme of a thrifty doctor who saved throughout his life and shared 41.1 billion won. The broadcast presented both Ha’s determined success story and the unexpected daily habits behind his prominent title.

Ha, the founder of a large general hospital in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, was shown as a major figure in the medical field. He began with a small obstetrics and gynecology clinic with four beds and built it into a large general hospital with 1,008 beds. He also revealed that in 2025 he purchased an additional 5,000-pyeong site and is pushing ahead with plans to establish a cancer hospital.

Despite the impressive reputation attached to being the founder of a major general hospital, Ha’s personal life was strikingly modest. He wore a jacket with a frayed collar and a shirt whose holes had been stitched up several times. He was also still using a faded desk lamp that his children had used when they were in elementary school.

His thrift extended into small routines throughout the day. Ha considered even a YouTube subscription a luxury, used the stairs instead of the elevator to save energy, and chose an electric fan rather than air conditioning even in hot weather.

Seo was especially shocked when he saw Ha collecting small pieces of worn-down soap inside a sock and continuing to use them. Stunned by the extent of the practice, Seo asked him, “Why do you go this far?”

Ha answered with a comment that framed his frugality as a matter of principle rather than deprivation. “I am thoroughly strict with myself, but I do not hold back when it comes to spending money on good causes,” he said.

Seo responded that Ha’s words closely matched thoughts he had often had himself, but that Ha’s execution went far beyond his own efforts. “I was surprised because he said the same thing I usually think. I try very hard too, but I cannot even come close to following in his footsteps,” Seo said, expressing admiration.

The broadcast explained that Ha’s saving was not for his own benefit but a deliberate choice made to enable larger acts of sharing. Since opening his obstetrics and gynecology clinic 32 years ago, he has continued social contribution activities, and the total amount he has donated has now surpassed 41.1 billion won.

Ha said he believes the growth of his hospital was made possible by the citizens around it. “It was the citizens who helped grow the hospital. It is only natural to give back to the citizens as much as I have received,” he said.

He also spoke about the sense of mission toward regional medical care that he has carried since becoming a doctor. “For a region to develop, it needs good universities and good hospitals. If a medical school is established, our hospital could also become a place for practical training. My dream going forward is to create a cancer hospital so that local residents can receive the best treatment without having to go all the way to Seoul,” Ha said, underscoring his sense of responsibility.

Guided by his belief in narrowing the medical gap between the Seoul metropolitan area and local regions, Ha succeeded in bringing Professor Kim Myung-hwan, described as the world’s seventh-ranked authority on pancreatic disease, to Changwon.