Actor Lim Chae-moo revealed that he is in debt of about 19 billion won due to operating the amusement park Doolyland. Lim's wife said, "I didn't even know what my husband did, and I had no idea he had that much debt." Lim Chae-moo remarried his current wife, who is nine years younger than him, after losing his first wife.
Lim Chae-moo appeared on the KBS 2TV entertainment program 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears,' which aired on the 20th, and shared stories related to Doolyland. Park Myung-soo visited Doolyland, the amusement park run by Lim Chae-moo, along with Ye-won and Kim Jin-woong.
Lim Chae-moo said, "70 to 80% of this place is what I conceptualized, so I think of it as my life," and added, "In terms of area, it is 16,700 pyeong." He continued, "I came to Jangheung Resort for a drama shoot once. Seeing children getting hurt from soju bottles discarded by adults made me decide that when I earned money, I would create a space where families could enjoy together, which is how Doolyland started."
Doolyland was not difficult from the start. He said, "When we opened Doolyland, we spent about 5 to 6 billion won to acquire the land," and added, "In the early days, the employees had no homes. So, after working for three years, I gave each of them a house as a gift." He continued, "I don't remember when, but I once earned 120 million won in a single day on Children's Day," adding that "I received it in cash, but it was so heavy that I couldn't carry it even 50 meters."
However, Lim Chae-moo noted, "Running a children's business isn't about making money," explaining, "If even a machine breaks down, we have to replace it, so I still have debt. Currently, the debt is around 19 billion won, with monthly interest costs of 80 million won and electricity costs of 30 million won each." He added, "The revenue from the amusement park alone isn't enough to sustain it, so I used money earned from external events to pay staff salaries," stating, "I have worked in night establishments for nearly 40 years, but now there are no such events or broadcasting gigs." He further remarked, "This is the most difficult time," sharing that "daily revenue can sometimes be as low as 160,000 to 320,000 won."
Lim Chae-moo emphasized, "Doolyland is the only amusement park run by an individual, not a corporation," adding, "Even though it's hard due to lack of money, I really feel good when children run up and hug me. I can't give up Doolyland because of the children's laughter."
Lim Chae-moo's wife also appeared on the show that day, saying, "After the marriage, I was tearing down the amusement park and preparing for the reopening, and that's when I realized we had no money at all," adding, "I didn't know anything." Lim Chae-moo expressed his apologies, saying, "I truly didn't know that."
Lim Chae-moo's wife further mentioned, "After losing his first wife, he said he often felt like falling from the 23rd floor when he drank. That made my heart ache so much." She added with a smile, "Even when I asked for just one flower, he never bought it for me. Perhaps he will later."