Comedian Shim Hyung-rae reveals earning 80 million won per commercial

During a KBS 1TV broadcast on the 20th, comedian Shim Hyung-rae revealed he filmed more than 100 commercials during his peak popularity, earning 80 million won for a single appearance. The income from one commercial exceeded the 78 million won he paid to purchase an Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments unit at the time.

Comedian Shim Hyung-rae has revealed the massive income he earned during his prime, noting he received 80 million won for a single commercial. His account, which included the anecdote that he purchased an Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments unit for 78 million won at the time, has drawn renewed attention to the immense popularity he enjoyed in the entertainment industry. Fellow cast members expressed surprise at his confession that he filmed more than 100 commercials.

Appearing on the KBS 1TV show "Morning Forum" broadcast on the 20th, Shim Hyung-rae looked back on his heyday. The broadcast highlighted his activities as a comedian who enjoyed unrivaled popularity and his status within the pop culture industry at the time. He was evaluated as having pioneered a new realm of laughter through his own unique characters rather than simply performing trendy gags.

The birth process of his representative character, Yeong-gu, drew particular interest. Shim revealed that there was significant opposition from those around him when he attempted to develop the Yeong-gu character, which appeared in the drama "Journey," into a comedy routine. "Everyone opposed it, but I pleaded with them to let me try just once, and I brought it to life. That became a huge hit," he recalled. He explained that attempting character-centered comedy, which differed from existing gag styles, ultimately drew an explosive response from the public.

Kim Hak-rae also recalled Shim Hyung-rae's debut. "When Shim Hyung-rae debuted, comedians frowned," Kim said, noting that because the style of making people laugh through words and lines was so familiar at the time, Shim's comedy centered on the Yeong-gu character was received as something foreign. However, the public response was different. As his popularity soared, Shim expanded his field of activity by signing an exclusive contract with Sinchon Music and even releasing Christmas carols.

Lee Gyeong-rae emphasized Shim Hyung-rae's influence by sharing an evaluation from senior Jeon Yoo-sung. He stated that Jeon said, "We should be grateful to Shim Hyung-rae. Hyung-rae has expanded the realm of comedy immensely." He added, "Hyung-rae hyung expanded the territory while doing Yeong-gu." This signifies that the character comedy Shim showed at the time opened new possibilities beyond the existing framework of comedy.

The conversation naturally shifted to his income during his prime. When asked how many commercials he filmed at his peak, Shim replied, "I filmed more than 100 commercials. At that time, I received 80 million won for one." The cast members expressed astonishment at his confession that a single commercial appearance fee reached 80 million won and that he had filmed over 100 of them. Beyond the mere number of appearances, this highlights that he was one of the top stars in the advertising industry at the time.

Shim Hyung-rae also disclosed his real estate purchase experience from that period. "I initially bought Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments for 78 million won. I filmed more than 100 commercials," he said. The fact that a single commercial appearance fee exceeded the purchase price of the apartment at the time provided a vivid sense of his economic status during his prime. However, the commercial fees and the apartment purchase price are amounts from that time and are difficult to compare directly with current values.

Kim Hak-rae also brought up memories of visiting Shim Hyung-rae's house. "Back then, it was a time when people couldn't turn on the air conditioner, but when we went to his house, he would turn the air conditioner on full blast," he recalled. In an era when using air conditioning was not as commonplace as it is now, the luxury felt at Shim Hyung-rae's house remained an impressive memory for his colleagues.

Shim Hyung-rae's past, during which he enjoyed nationwide popularity with the Yeong-gu character and dominated the advertising industry, is more than just a success story of a star. It is an instance where a challenge—pushing forward with a unique character despite opposition—changed public taste and created a new market. The figures of the Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments purchased for 78 million won and the 80 million won per commercial serve to show the scale of his prime while reminding of how powerful the Yeong-gu character was in the pop culture of that time.

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