"I eat triangle kimbap in my car while rushing around"... The tearful comeback of the 'Jeong Do-jeon' actor who lost 1 billion won

[Financial News] As acting opportunities dwindled, a 32-year veteran actor made a risky stock investment out of anxiety, lent money to an acquaintance through an apartment-backed loan, and even started a restaurant. After suffering the typical vicious cycle of asset losses during retirement or a career interruption, he is attempting a comeback as a field sales representative for a cosmetics company after losses totaling nearly 1 billion won.
Actor Lee Byung-wook, 50, who appeared on MBN's 'Special World' on the 10th, is a 32-year veteran performer who played prominent roles in numerous major historical dramas, including 'Jeong Do-jeon,' 'The King of Legend,' and 'Empress Myeongseong.' He made his debut in 1994 as part of the 16th open recruitment class at the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and worked steadily thereafter. However, the nature of the entertainment industry, where a fixed income is not guaranteed, left him facing financial uncertainty when work dried up, leading him to make reckless financial decisions.
Lee's financial crisis vividly illustrates the typical cycle of financial failure experienced by middle-aged and older people during periods without income.
It began with reckless stock investments triggered by anxiety. As his acting work declined and his income became irregular, he entered the high-risk stock market out of impatience and lost most of his principal, about 500 million won.
But the problem did not end there. During the period of asset losses, he could not refuse an acquaintance's request for money, so he took out an apartment-backed loan and lent the funds. When the money was ultimately not repaid, he incurred an additional 400 million to 500 million won in debt. To recover losses in the 1 billion-won range, he took a chance on self-employment by opening an eel restaurant. However, he could not overcome the challenges of an economic slowdown and inexperienced management. After three years, he began closing the business and ultimately suffered a complete collapse of his assets.
In effect, he went through all three major routes to asset loss: high-risk financial investments driven by anxiety, lending between acquaintances using leverage—an asset-backed loan—and failure in a livelihood-oriented business launched without an exit strategy.
Yet even while facing personal bankruptcy, he refused to give up and set aside his pride. Lee now works as a door-to-door cosmetics sales representative, personally visiting self-employed businesses such as golf courses and beauty salons to sell cosmetics. To save time and travel expenses, he eats triangle kimbap and cup noodles in his car and continues a grueling schedule, visiting dozens of locations a day.
Lee stated, "With a family and children to support, I don't have the luxury of worrying about appearances or pride," adding, "Compared with the past, when my reckless investments pushed my family to the brink, I feel much more emotionally stable now that I work honestly in the field and generate sales."
Experts unanimously warn that freelancers, workers in special employment arrangements, and middle-aged and older people approaching retirement should be especially wary of leveraged investments aimed at making a quick score and financial transactions with acquaintances during periods without income. Rather than relying on uncertain returns on capital, they say, restoring cash flow through hands-on work and managing debt systematically are the first steps toward recovery.
[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter