From Stardom to Struggles: Han Seok-kyung’s Journey Through Fame and Financial Ruin

Exclusive World / Photo: MBN capture

[Sports Today reporter Jung Ye-won] Han Seo-kyung laid bare the hardships she’s endured on MBN’s ‘Exclusive World’.

On the April 9 broadcast of MBN’s ‘Exclusive World,’ Han Seo-kyung — a 1990s teen star who shot to fame with her debut single “Nangrang 18” — appeared as a guest.

She recalled that her record sold 1,000,000 copies and that she shared a Best New Artist award with Seo Taiji and Boys. “My songs were playing everywhere. Fans would recognize me even when I wasn’t wearing makeup. Thinking about that time still feels like a dream,” she said.

But Han said her life has been far from smooth. She told viewers she went into a shaved-ice business on a friend’s recommendation and was scammed, losing a Gangnam apartment and essentially her entire fortune. “I had no money left. I really hit rock bottom,” she said.

She added that when COVID-19 arrived, promotional events dried up and her finances collapsed. “Every month was in the red. I couldn’t talk about ordinary things anymore — I kept wondering, ‘Can I borrow money from that person?’ I even thought about selling mackerel or working as a housekeeper,” she confessed.

Ultimately, Han said she became delinquent on her debts and moved into a small rented room. Her father then died suddenly in a car accident, and her mother spent about a year battling depression and began showing signs of dementia. “I thought I had hit the bottom, but it felt like sinking another 200 meters (about 656 ft). I still have debts to pay,” she said.

[Sports Today reporter Jung Ye-won ent@stoo.com]
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