Actor Son Ji-chang discusses hardships of running event company

During a broadcast of "Boss in the Mirror" on the 1st, actor Son Ji-chang revealed that his event planning company, BeXca, has recovered to annual revenues of 4 billion to 5 billion won following the pandemic. Son described the physical and emotional exhaustion of the business, noting that he sometimes receives as little as three hours of sleep during overseas events.

Actor Son Ji-chang has revealed the unique hardships of living as the CEO of an event company with annual revenues in the billions of won. Far from the glamorous life of the entertainment industry, his daily routine involves working directly on-site, moving between employees and clients, which has proven more exhausting than expected. Interest grew as he confessed that even his close friend Kim Min-jong shed tears after witnessing his working conditions.

In the 379th episode of the KBS 2TV entertainment program "Boss in the Mirror" broadcast on the 1st, Son Ji-chang appeared as a new boss. He introduced himself as the representative of BeXca, an event planning company he founded in 2000 and has operated for 25 years. Contrary to his title as CEO, Son was shown meticulously inspecting every corner of event venues and even personally cleaning up insects from the floor. He was described as a caring boss who looks after his employees like a mother.

The scale of the business is significant. When asked about company revenue, Son revealed that annual sales reached a maximum of 6 billion won prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained that after being hit by the pandemic, the company is currently showing signs of recovery, maintaining annual revenue levels of 4 billion to 5 billion won. While he has achieved considerable success as an actor-turned-entrepreneur, the business involves labor and emotional exhaustion that are difficult to gauge through revenue figures alone.

He also spoke about the structural difficulties of the event industry. Because his position requires satisfying customers while simultaneously meeting the demands of the corporations commissioning the events, he essentially has to watch the reactions of both sides. When Kim Sook pointed out that the industry's nature places one in a position close to being "the subordinate of a subordinate," Son nodded in agreement. He noted that when working on overseas events, schedules are so tight that he gets as little as three hours of sleep per day.

Son became emotional particularly when recounting an anecdote involving Kim Min-jong. He recalled that Kim Min-jong, after seeing his actual work site, cried while asking, "Hyung, why do you do this kind of work?" Son's eyes welled up as he remarked, "There were many moments where my pride was hurt." This suggests that, unlike his past as an entertainer loved by the public, there have been many moments in the business field where he had to humble himself to meet the demands of clients and business partners.

The presence of employees who have worked with him for a long time revealed another side of Son. The employees' years of service ranged from as short as five years to as long as 18 years. Noting that turnover is frequent in this industry, Kim Sook evaluated that the fact there are many long-term employees is a testament to the boss's leadership. Indeed, the employees testified that Son is a meticulous person who takes good care of them with food and even personally makes reservations at famous restaurants.

However, he is not always just a kind boss. The broadcast revealed the process of Son preparing a high-end VIP event for Brand B, a premium British imported car brand, which he worked hard to secure. On the day of the event, he arrived at the site at 5 a.m. and moved busily, personally preparing snacks and prizes and loading them into vehicles. Seeing the CEO personally handling all the supplies, Kim Sook could not hide her surprise at the harsh reality of the event business.

Special MC MINJU of ILLIT also expressed admiration for Son's ability to handle work. She praised him for his quick response to situations and his fast mental processing. At this, Son laughed shyly at the praise from his younger junior, saying, "I'm almost looking toward 60."

However, toward the end of the broadcast, another side of Son's leadership was revealed. As he became sensitive ahead of an important event, he poured out nagging and pressure on his staff, leading one employee to candidly confess, "It's annoying. I sometimes feel like quitting." It was a moment where the responsibility of a CEO leading 5 billion won in annual revenue intersected with the tension felt by on-site employees. Attention is focused on how Son's management style, which coexists with meticulous care and pressure for results, will be portrayed moving forward.

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