Yang Chi-seung's Fraud Damage: Actually Nearly 2 Billion Won, Not 1.5 Billion

Fitness trainer Yang Chi-seung confesses that he suffered much greater damages than previously known. While the fraud damage surrounding the closure of his gym was initially reported to be around "1.5 billion won," he revealed that when calculating the security deposit, facility investment costs, member refunds, lawyer fees, and long-term business losses, the total damage was nearly 2 billion won. Yang Chi-seung, who has appeared on broadcasts with a bright demeanor, is expected to add to the poignancy by confessing the tears he had hidden.

On the upcoming broadcast of MBC's 'Radio Star' on the 7th, a special titled 'You Can't Just Stay Still~' will feature Choi Kang-hee, Oh Man-seok, Kim Won-hyo, and Yang Chi-seung. On this day, Yang Chi-seung will personally reveal the donation-based fraud incident surrounding the gym he operated for a long time and the reality that struck him afterward.

He did not think the scale of the damage would be this large from the beginning. Yang Chi-seung explains that he initially thought he could just settle the gym by getting his security deposit back, but he realized the situation was serious as he encountered cases of other tenants who suffered similar damages. As he began to calculate one by one, from the facility investment costs required to operate a single gym to the money that had to be returned to members and the lawyer fees incurred during the legal response process, the situation changed completely.

Ultimately, the decisive blow was the long-term business loss. When all the losses incurred from being unable to operate the gym normally for about three years were added up, it far exceeded the initial expected amount. After calculating the actual damage, Yang Chi-seung surprises the cast by revealing, "It was almost close to 2 billion won." It was not just money disappearing from his bank account, but his business foundation built over many years and his future earnings were shaken all at once.

What is even more shocking is the way Yang Chi-seung endured that time. He confesses that whenever he suffered from extreme stress, he would park his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and scream and cry for a long time. While he pretended to be fine in front of people, he found it difficult to control his emotions whenever he was alone. He evokes sympathy by revealing that after crying for a long time like that, he would arrive home, wipe his tears, and return to daily life as if nothing had happened.

What helped pull Yang Chi-seung back up was unexpectedly the warm touch of people around him. It is said that Choi Kang-hee prayed for him, and Kim Sook helped him directly by looking for a new gym location. Recalling the people who reached out to him first when he was in a difficult situation, Yang Chi-seung confessed that he thought, "It is too apologetic to collapse like this." The determination to rise again for the sake of those who believed in and supported him became the driving force for his new start.

An unexpected 'editing humiliation' episode is also revealed. Yang Chi-seung, who usually enjoys cooking, says he prepared for several months to personally challenge 'Culinary Class Wars' and even completed the actual filming. Since he even heard from the production team, "The editing turned out well, so watch it enjoyably," he gathered with his family in front of the TV to wait for his appearance, but he did not appear on screen even as the episodes passed. Ultimately, having learned of the total edit, he is set to provide laughter due to the unexpected disappearance of his broadcast footage.

Just because he closed the gym does not mean Yang Chi-seung's challenges have ended. Rather, he is accelerating his second act in life while preparing new businesses. He is preparing a location-based app where people can easily find affordable and cost-effective restaurants, and he has also started a new company related to fitness equipment. While conceiving a platform that connects trainers and members as well as a food business, he is expanding his long-accumulated experience into new areas.

For Yang Chi-seung, who left the fence of the gym he operated under his own name for 25 years, this closure was not a simple business failure. It was a time when he had to shoulder economic losses approaching billions of won, years of business gaps, and unbearable stress all at once. Nevertheless, the man who cried alone in front of his motorcycle is finding ways to stand up again. Attention is focused on how Yang Chi-seung, having endured damages of nearly 2 billion won, will create the second act of his life this time.

Read the original (Korean)