Song Jin-woo's 30-year sports card collection valued at over 70 million won

Actor Song Jin-woo drew viewers' attention by revealing his life as a sports card collector spanning over 30 years and his unique collector philosophy. His collection, which goes beyond a simple hobby to accumulate rarity and historical value, surprised many as expert appraisals valued it as an asset worth tens of millions of won.

In the episode of the SBS variety program 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny' aired on the 14th, the daily life of Song Jin-woo and his Japanese wife, Minami, was broadcast. This episode garnered significant attention not only for the couple's modest daily life but also for the unveiling of the vast collection Song Jin-woo has meticulously built over decades.

Throughout the house, various collections including figurines, sneakers, neckties, and cigarettes from around the world were packed in. The items accumulated over a long period resembled a private museum, and Song Jin-woo candidly shared his personal collection philosophy.

He stated, "If I move to a bigger house someday, I want to decorate the entire basement like a museum," adding, "It would be truly wonderful to display them by country and theme." This moment revealed his dream as a collector who wishes to preserve cultural records and historicity beyond merely gathering objects.

Most notably, what caught the cast's eye was the sports card collection he has been gathering since elementary school. Song Jin-woo explained, "Many people think of sports cards as just pieces of paper, but rare cards are recognized for their high value, with transactions reaching hundreds of millions of won."

In particular, as a passionate fan of Jason Williams, famous for his nickname 'White Chocolate' in the NBA, he surprised everyone by revealing, "I possess about 3,000 to 4,000 Jason Williams cards alone." His tenacity in collecting thousands of cards centered around a single player drew admiration from the cast.

Song Jin-woo also shared the story of his most cherished card. He said, "A card I made a big decision to purchase in high school is now evaluated to be worth about 15 million won," and added, "I also possess a rare card that exists only 24 copies in the world."

Later in the broadcast, a professional sports card appraiser appeared to evaluate the value of some of the collection. The estimated values of the three revealed cards were calculated at approximately 15 million won, 22 million won, and 30 million won, respectively. The cast could not hide their astonishment as the combined value of just those three cards reached approximately 67 million won, effectively approaching 70 million won.

Recently, the sports card market has been gaining attention as an alternative investment asset, driven by rarity, authentic certification systems, and the activation of global auction platforms. In particular, since value varies greatly depending on a player's symbolism, issuance quantity, and preservation state, rare cards are highly valued in the collection market, similar to fine art or vintage watches.

However, for Song Jin-woo, the meaning of the cards was not a simple investment target. While his wife Minami made a practical suggestion, saying, "Let's organize the cards and move to a bigger house," Song Jin-woo shook his head firmly.

He stated, "There will never be a day in my life when I sell these cards," and added, "My goal is to collect every single card of Jason Williams. I believe their value will continue to rise as time passes." It was a moment that clearly revealed his philosophy of valuing the memories and the completeness of the collection built over a long time more than monetary value.

When Minami jokingly asked, "If you and the cards both fall into the water at the same time, who would you save first?" Song Jin-woo immediately replied, "Minami, of course." However, he was captured hesitating for a moment just before answering, which turned the studio into a sea of laughter. The cast reacted playfully, saying, "The fact that you even hesitated is the problem," and the couple concluded the situation with laughter.

Song Jin-woo first became well-known to the public through his impressions of various stars such as Lee Byung-hun, Jang Hyuk, and Lee Seo Jin, and has since expanded his field of activity across acting and variety shows. Currently in his 12th year of marriage to his Japanese wife Minami, he has one son and one daughter, and continues to communicate with viewers through his characteristic witty remarks and human charm.