Chased out with an 800-won wage, then earned 500 billion won... Choe Bok-ho's tears that moved Seo Jang-hoon ('Millionaire') [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

The life turnaround story of 'first-generation fashion designer' Choe Bok-ho is revealed.

On the 13th, EBS's 'Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire' aired an episode featuring 'the fashion tycoon who opened a 2,500-pyeong tailor shop deep in the mountains,' Choe Bok-ho.

Choe Bok-ho is a first-generation fashion designer in South Korea who debuted in 1973 and has been active for 53 years, accumulating 500 billion won in sales. He is a legendary figure who currently operates a 2,500-pyeong tailor shop located deep in the mountains. Choe Bok-ho, who moved into the mountains 18 years ago despite warnings from those around him, explained his reason: "I missed the conversations with customers that were lost within the department store system, where custom-made clothing was made and shared." This tailor shop continues to gain word-of-mouth popularity, with 1,000 to 1,500 visitors per month and monthly sales reaching up to 60 million won.

According to Choe Bok-ho, he naturally became interested in clothing due to his mother's exceptional fashion sense, and he nurtured his dream of becoming a designer while watching fashion legend Andre Kim. After dropping out of university, he enrolled in a fashion academy that produced Andre Kim after his military discharge, and he quickly gained attention with his groundbreaking debut work that exposed industrialization and environmental issues. He was even noticed by Choi Kyung-ja Lee (President), Andre Kim's mentor and the godmother of the fashion industry, and was selected as her student.

However, unlike his glamorous start, reality was not easy. After getting a job at a tailor shop, he suffered the humiliation of being fired after just one week for receiving an 800-won wage. The reason was that while his designs were excellent, his production skills were lacking. Later, he worked as an unpaid intern at a friend's tailor shop to relearn the basics, and after much determination, he was rehired as a formal designer on the Itae-dong tailor shop street, then the center of fashion. He endured with such tenacity that he would sketch and memorize popular designs by visiting over 200 shop windows every early morning.

Afterward, while he was thriving as a designer in Seoul, he left everything behind and returned to his hometown of Daegu upon hearing news of his mother's illness. What lifted him up from the ground again was the baggy pants that were trendy in Seoul. While other tailor shops insisted on elegance, he boldly captured the youth with his baggy pants featuring a daring silhouette, receiving explosive reactions. The success of his first item led him to expand his business by opening a fur store in a department store. However, a major fire occurred in the department store where he had entered, and eventually, he had to sell off his tailor shop to pay off his debts. In a moment of despair when he had lost everything, unexpected help followed. Fellow designers sent him leftover fabric scraps, and market vendors readily provided materials. Choe Bok-ho stated, "I was revived thanks to the help of those around me. Returning what I received is the human way," and explained the reason he still insists on using only Daegu fabrics.

His second hit work, which allowed him to rise again, was the shoulder-padded jacket, also known as the 'fake Gadamai.' With the great success of this product, Choe Bok-ho established himself as a brand representative earning 100 million won in monthly sales in the 1980s. Later, he expanded beyond Daegu to enter major department stores in Seoul, and broadened his reach to global stages including London, Vancouver, and New York. Finally, the glorious moment came when he stood on the same stage as his long-time idol, Andre Kim. Choe Bok-ho recalled, "It was overwhelming. I couldn't even sit at the same table with my teacher," and shared the memory of being choked up. With the mindset of wanting to live by sharing what he received, he has been making dolls from leftover fabric scraps since 2008 and donating the sales proceeds to charitable organizations. The fabric scraps that once helped revive him have now become hope for helping others. Watching this, Seo Jang-hoon sincerely conveyed, "There's a saying that the best clothes are those that fit one's body well. It seems like the profession of a designer is truly the best-fitting clothes for you." In response, Choe Bok-ho said, "Oh my, I'm tearing up," and ultimately showed an emotional moment, adding to the touching atmosphere.

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*This content was translated by AI.