Seo Jang-hoon, Already Wealthy During Player Days—Thanks to Parents' Financial Management

Seo Jang-hoon, the giant who once dominated the basketball court, has revealed the process of how he became a wealthy individual owning three buildings. While he waved away rumors that he possesses hundreds of billions of won in assets, what drew more attention than flashy investment secrets was his unexpectedly simple principle of money management. He explained that he was able to build his current assets thanks to his parents not spending the money he earned during his player days recklessly and instead saving it steadily.

In the SBS entertainment program 'Whatever You Wish, Secretary Jin' broadcast on the 9th, Lee Seo-jin and Kim Kwang-kyu were shown taking care of Seo Jang-hoon's schedule. The two heard from Seo Jang-hoon's manager about his filming schedule and demanding lifestyle habits. As they had to move to Gangneung for the filming of 'The Millionaire Next Door', a request was made to find clean restrooms even on the highway for the hygiene-sensitive Seo Jang-hoon. Practical advice was also given, such as the fact that he does not eat well during filming and that showing him videos of babies or puppies makes him feel much better when he is not in a good mood.

After joining Seo Jang-hoon, Kim Kwang-kyu brought up the topic of wealth and asked a joking question, saying, "You have a lot of assets, yet you live so diligently. Isn't it in the hundreds of billions of won?" Seo Jang-hoon immediately reacted as if it were unfair, saying, "Where would hundreds of billions come from?" When asked how many buildings he currently owns, he calmly replied, "Three buildings." While drawing a line between vague rumors and the actual situation, he did not hide the fact that he is a real estate asset owner.

He also spoke about absurd rumors surrounding his wealth. On the JTBC show 'Knowing Bros', Kim Hee-chul once joked that Seo Jang-hoon's assets were in the hundreds of billions of won, and as the story was exaggerated, it eventually spread into a rumor that he is an asset owner worth 2 trillion won. Seo Jang-hoon lamented, "Out of 100 people, five or six believe it." This part conveyed the bitter reality of how a joke made on an entertainment show leads to misunderstandings regarding actual asset scale.

Then, how did Seo Jang-hoon build his wealth? When Kim Kwang-kyu asked for the secret to becoming rich, he explained, "I didn't use the money I earned during my player days at home. So, I think I was able to keep saving it entirely. As that accumulated, it grew a little more." This means that even during his player days when he earned large incomes, he did not spend money easily, and the starting point was his parents managing and saving his income. Rather than putting forward special investment secrets, he emphasized the basic principle of protecting and accumulating income.

Contrary to the scale of his assets, his personal consumption was surprisingly frugal. When asked where he mainly spends money, Seo Jang-hoon revealed that the expenses he spends on himself are practically just food delivery fees. He added a joke that even if he wants to buy clothes, he can only buy them if there are clothes that fit him. When Kim Kwang-kyu asked if he even saves on electricity bills, Seo Jang-hoon replied that he also reduces expenditures as much as possible if they can be cut. This part shows that having a high income does not necessarily lead to large consumption.

As surprising as his asset scale, his longevity in broadcasting activities is also notable. Seo Jang-hoon, who has as many as 8 fixed entertainment programs, introduced that 'My Little Old Boy' and 'Knowing Bros' have continued for nearly 10 years, and 'Same Bed, Different Dreams' is also approaching its 10th year. 'Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller' has also passed 7 years, and he has been appearing in 'Divorce Camp' for 3 years. When Lee Seo-jin marveled, saying, "You only do the main titles," Seo Jang-hoon said he is a lucky person but cited his ability to not tire easily as a strength. He added that he tried to speak honestly from a viewer's perspective, and this attitude might be one of the reasons the production team looks for him.

Lee Seo-jin also revealed his special chemistry with Seo Jang-hoon in an interview with the production team. He said that when he saw Seo Jang-hoon on the show and thought he was the funniest person, he told him so, and Seo Jang-hoon replied, "You are the funniest, hyung." From his wealth and saving habits to his presence in entertainment shows, Seo Jang-hoon showed another side of himself—consistency and self-management—behind the image of a glamorous asset owner. Looking only at the result of owning three buildings, he might seem like a born rich person, but the principle repeatedly revealed in his explanation was unexpectedly simple. It is that just as much as earning a lot, it is important to protect the money earned and to maintain one's place for a long time.

Read the original (Korean)