Actress Jeon Won-joo has begun drafting a will out of concern over her two sons' inheritance dispute.
The July 7 broadcast of KBS2's 'Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' depicted lawyer Kim Hee-jun consulting on Jeon Won-joo's inheritance issues.
That day, lawyer Kim Hee-jun went to meet a client known for being a stock investment master and 'Cheongdam-dong big shot.' The client she met turned out to be Jeon Won-joo, a representative frugal person in the entertainment industry who possesses considerable wealth through gold investment and more. He mentioned that he arrived at the meeting place by subway and said, "I was late because I was saving money by taking that."
Moreover, Jeon Won-joo demanded, "Just order two cups of coffee. I'll drink water," despite the requirement for one drink per person among three people, making it a bit awkward. She said, "When I go to a cafe with two people, we order one cup of coffee and share it. By doing that, it becomes a significant amount over time." Additionally, when three cups of coffee were served, she questioned, "Why did you order so much?" and commented, "This is too expensive. I'll take it home later," displaying her consistently frugal nature.
Seeing this, Park Myung-soo said, "I won't get much of a fee. Even if I work, it'll likely be a deficit," and Jun Hyun-moo expressed, "Jeon Won-joo might be laying the groundwork," eliciting laughter.
When Jeon Won-joo asked, "What are you most curious about?" she cautiously asked, "Will the inheritance tax be high?" Lawyer Kim Hee-jun replied, "Inheritance tax is proportional to the inherited estate. If it exceeds 3 billion won, the inheritance tax is 50%. That's half. The tax rate in Korea is set that way," which surprised Jeon Won-joo. He continued, "The brackets are set based on the amounts. If it exceeds 3 billion won, the highest rate applies."
Then he asked, "Do you usually save money through products like savings accounts and time deposits?" Jeon Won-joo replied, "Whenever I make money, I go to the bank. The branch manager even brings a car to my house. When I enter the VIP room, I enjoy being treated well. It's so nice to find joy in saving money now," but she added, "I save on everything else, but I won't skimp on my health. I run for 30 minutes each time."
In particular, lawyer Kim Hee-jun asked, "But I read a news article saying you lent 50 million won to a younger man and couldn't get it back?" which surprised everyone. Jeon Won-joo shared, "That's a deep resentment. While hiking, one of the hikers I met was very handsome. He called me 'sister' and held onto me as we ascended, asking for money. It was the first time I lent money in my life," sighing, "He was just so good-looking that... I ended up giving it to him."
Hearing this, Lee Soon-sil replied, "I experienced the same scam. It was an investment in airport construction in China, recruiting North Korean defectors to invest. It was said to be a great opportunity set up for them. I was told it was a special treatment and gave 30 million won, but only 2 million won was returned. So, I invested more, totaling 90 million won, and lost it all," she confessed about a similar experience.
Meanwhile, lawyer Nam Gi-yeob appeared, and Kim Hee-jun introduced him as "an excellent lawyer in our firm." Seeing his tall figure, Jeon Won-joo regained her spirits, while Kim Sook joked, "If lawyer Nam asks to borrow money, it seems he would lend it to you." Park Myung-soo added with humor that he would make sure to secure his fee.
Then the formal legal consultation began. Jeon Won-joo expressed, "I'm most curious about the inheritance tax. I think about how my two sons will fight over the money after I go." In response, lawyer Kim Hee-jun explained, "These days, many people set up bakery cafes to reduce inheritance taxes. If a cafe is managed for more than 10 years, there is a business succession deduction system that allows for up to about 60 billion won." However, Park Myung-soo pointed out, "It's not easy to accurately maintain revenue and employment," and lawyer Kim Hee-jun also worried, "When would you be able to run a bakery for 10 years?"
Lawyer Nam Gi-yeob explained, "When a parent is alive, the children are close, but when a property division issue arises, conflicts often occur not just between siblings but also involving their spouses and families. In such cases, it's essential to decide in advance and relay the parent's intentions to the children through a lawyer, as they usually follow those wishes."
Lawyer Kim Hee-jun asked, "Do you have one apartment in Cheongdam-dong or any other real estate?" Jeon Won-joo replied, "I just collect gold. I think I've been collecting it for about 20 to 30 years. At that time, it was about 40,000 won per don." Currently, the gold price is approximately 560,000 won per don, which is about ten times higher. Lawyer Kim Hee-jun remarked, "So now, how to safely protect your assets and pass them down to your children is key. If you live like this, it seems your money won't disappear, unless you start giving out 50 million won to a younger man or something similar."
He asked, "Aren't you curious about anything else?" and Jeon Won-joo confessed, "At my age, I should draft a will." Lawyer Kim Hee-jun suggested, "It's a good idea to write a will in advance," but Jeon Won-joo admitted, "I can't do it because I feel like I'll die soon if I write a will." Jun Hyun-moo comforted her, saying, "You need to write that to live longer," while lawyer Nam Gi-yeob explained, "There are various ways to do it. You can write it directly or have it notarized by a lawyer, and you can also keep the contents secret from your children, in case you prefer to give more to one child. Then you can keep it secret."
Lawyer Kim Hee-jun stated, "If you want to do it evenly, there's no need for secrecy," and Jeon Won-joo replied, "It's giving me a headache." Lawyer Nam Gi-yeob mentioned, "It's complicated. You need to decide who to give real estate to and who receives cash, deposits, or stocks," before they decided to try drafting a will. Lawyer Kim Hee-jun reminded them, "A handwritten will must be written personally. If it's written on a computer, it holds no legal power." Lawyer Nam Gi-yeob added, "By writing it today and not making any other will, should anything happen (like passing away), this would take effect as a will."
Observing this, Park Myung-soo inquired, "If the will favors one child, won't the other get upset?" Lawyer Kim Hee-jun explained, "That's why there's the reserve portion system, which guarantees a minimum amount to be protected." Kim Sook expressed surprise, asking, "Even if a mother states an 80:20 ratio, can the other child claim half through a reserve portion lawsuit?" Lawyer Kim Hee-jun confirmed, "Correct. It is mandated that a minimum amount must be guaranteed."
Having written the will, Jeon Won-joo conveyed her uneasy feelings, stating, "It feels strange writing this," while lawyer Nam Gi-yeob suggested, "Let's try this method, and later, when you make a decision, we can do it together."
[Photo] KBS2
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