'Beauty millionaire' Lee Sang-il said his secret to success is 'doing one's best in one's work' and 'patience.'
On the premiere of the EBS and E Channel joint production 'Seo Jang-hoon's neighbor millionaire' on the 9th, 'Korea's first generation male hair designer' Lee Sang-il appeared to share his success story. He provided insights into the true meaning of 'wealth' and 'success' through his life journey—from a country boy who dreamed of being a fashion designer, to a student in Paris, and a legendary hair designer, now living as an artist.
Lee Sang-il innovated the salon industry in the 1980s by introducing the concept of 'premium hair shops' and is the person who named beauty industry workers as 'hair designers.' He worked as a hair artist for top stars of the time such as the late Shin Sung-il, Jang Mi-hee, and Kim Wan-sun, and is also the founder of the 'poodle hairstyle,' which became a symbol of the late Andre Kim's fashion shows.
Lee Sang-il's life began with a dream of becoming a designer like the late Andre Kim. The steamed egg his mother handed him as he moved to Seoul became his soul food. Lee Sang-il asked Seo Jang-hoon for '4,200 won' as a tuition fee for sharing his secrets to success. After accidentally translating a foreign fashion magazine, he learned about the existence of 'male beauticians' and explained, "The translation fee for that magazine was 4,200 won. It was the amount that changed my life." Thus, Lee Sang-il shifted his career from fashion designer to hair designer and embarked on an impulsive journey to study abroad in Paris. Seo Jang-hoon expressed admiration for Lee Sang-il's decisiveness, saying, "In an era when going abroad was difficult, to decide to study abroad just by looking at a magazine is something only a few can do."
After graduating from the National School of Beauty in France in 1981, Lee Sang-il returned to Korea and became 'the first male hair designer in Korea.' He opened a hair shop with the innovative name 'Hair News' and charged 15,000 won for a haircut, which was ten times more than other salons at the time. His 'premium strategy' included top-quality shampoo, beauty equipment, and furniture, which opened the wallets of the wealthy. Lee Sang-il confidently stated, "I cut hair like sculpting to best match customers' face shapes. Accepting subpar service while raising prices is unacceptable." Consequently, his hair shop became a massive success with 'open runs' being a common occurrence.
Lee Sang-il declared that he would "never give his immense wealth to his children." When Seo Jang-hoon and Jonathan expressed surprise, he asserted, "I will only leave my funeral expenses and give back to society." Regarding his success, Lee Sang-il stated, "I had no desire to make money or become famous. I only focused on 'how to make this customer the most beautiful.'" He further explained, "If I do my best in my work, success and wealth will follow me like a shadow. With patience, one can become a multimillionaire."
Next week, an episode featuring 'Waffle King' Son Jeong-hee, an emerging player in the K-dessert market with annual sales reaching 70 billion won, will air. EBS x E Channel's 'Seo Jang-hoon's neighbor millionaire' broadcasts every Wednesday at 9:55 p.m.
[Photo] EBS, E Channel
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