A house like a nobleman's residence: The irony of a 90-year-old old house with Shim Eun-ha and Kim Min on the walls

Actor Kim Min's house was difficult to define in a single word. It is an old house built about 90 years ago in 1938, and unlike its worn and rugged appearance from the outside, stepping inside reveals an exotic atmosphere mixed with old furniture, and unexpectedly, even a photo of actress Shim Eun-ha is hanging on one wall. Combined with Kim Min's lifestyle of running a generator to provide electricity and repairing the house himself, it left a strong impression on viewers.

In the recently broadcast MBC 'I Live Alone', Kim Min's life in Dongducheon, where he has lived alone for 28 years, was revealed. Kim Min started his day by securing the doorknob with wire and operating a generator. As the generator ran, the lights came on inside the house, and he continued his daily routine as if it were nothing unusual. It was explained that he is utilizing the space, which had been unused for a long time, in his own way, as it is the house of an older brother he treats like family.

Upon entering the house, the atmosphere changed again. The bedroom, decorated while recalling his experience of living in a car during his time abroad, exuded an exotic feeling reminiscent of Bali, and the dressing room was packed with clothes and items collected while traveling to various countries around the world. As the years of the old house and Kim Min's personal tastes mixed strangely, a space completely different from a common rural old house was completed.

The most unexpected scene was the photo of Shim Eun-ha. A photo of the actress Shim Eun-ha, who represented the 1990s, was hanging on the wall. Kim Min explained the reason, saying it wasn't a photo he hung because he likes her, but because the older brother of the acquaintance who owns the house is her biggest fan. Seeing this scene, Jun Hyun-moo reacted by saying, "It cannot be categorized into one country," expressing, "Outside is Bali, inside is a nobleman's house, and on the wall is a Shim Eun-ha photo," which brought laughter.

Kim Min's day was as unpredictable as his house. After a simple breakfast of coffee and a baguette, he suddenly played the ukulele and immediately headed to the heavy bag prepared in front of the house to begin martial arts training. Having mastered various martial arts including Taekwondo, Hapkido, Karate, and Santa Kickboxing, his combined dan ranks amount to a whopping 10th dan. It was also revealed that he visited an Hapkido dojang to properly learn breakfalls, eventually obtaining a master's certificate and even teaching children to this day.

His attitude toward the house also showed Kim Min's unique life. Rather than leaving cracked or broken floors alone, he applied cement and fixed them himself. He, whose father worked in plastering for a lifetime and who himself had his first part-time job at a construction site during high school, appeared accustomed to solving problems himself rather than leaving them to others whenever inconveniences arose.

The lifestyle he chose was far from luxury or convenience. Kim Min said, "I think it's more happiness when things are a little lacking," adding, "It's fun to fill in what is lacking." While working in construction, he prepared for employment abroad and lived in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia for about 8 years, and during that process, he encountered acting and learned from a master famous for French clown theater.

Having accumulated experiences different from others, Kim Min has shown his presence with strong acting in various works such as 'Big Bet', 'The Roundup: No Way Out', 'Smugglers', 'A Shop for Killers', 'Study Group', and 'The Manipulated'. His life, where an old house, exotic items, a photo of Shim Eun-ha, a ukulele, and martial arts coexist in one space, perhaps resembles the life he has walked. A life of directly filling and creating rather than avoiding what is lacking and uncomfortable. Therefore, Kim Min's house was less of a worn-out space and more like another stage where his unique life is layered.