In "The Millionaire Next Door," "Toilet King" Park Hyun-soon revealed his turbulent life reversal story, from a troublemaker on the verge of expulsion to a penniless young man with "0 won salary," and then to a "100 billion-won wealthy" entrepreneur who succeeded in conquering not only the domestic market but also the continent.
On the 24th, the EBS entertainment program Seo Jang-hoon's The Millionaire Next Door (abbreviated as "The Millionaire Next Door") featured the special life journey of Park Hyun-soon, "the man who earned 100 billion won from toilets and saved 20 trillion won of public funds."
As a child he ran away from home repeatedly and was even a troublemaker who received a notice of impending expulsion. After barely finishing a two-year college, at 22 he joined a trading company under the condition of "0 won salary." He took on chores such as cleaning and, with heartfelt actions like handwritten letters and visiting clients even in bad weather, secured a large contract within just six months equivalent to the price of an apartment at the time.
After that, orders poured in and he achieved annual sales of 3 billion won, a solo accomplishment equivalent to the price of 100 Gangnam apartments at the time. Then in 1986, at 26 he founded a toilet company and, riding the apartment construction boom, miraculously reached sales of 10 billion won in five to six years.
On "The Millionaire Next Door," it was revealed that Park Hyun-soon was a hidden hero who in 1994 developed the country's first "6-liter water-saving toilet" and saved the government "20 trillion won." Although he received a patent for the innovative technology that reduced water usage to less than half of conventional two-piece toilets, he boldly shared the technology for the nation's water resources rather than for private profit, earning praise. In 2006 he entered the Chinese market, winning over local consumers with bathrooms featuring elegant patterns. His distinctive premium strategy achieved great success with annual sales in the 40 billion won range, quickly taking the continent by storm. He now continues his relentless challenge, introducing a 3.5-liter water-saving toilet and smart toilets.
Park Hyun-soon spent 20 billion won to build a "toilet kingdom" on the site of an abandoned factory covering 15,000 pyeong. This place serves not only as a showroom but also for public purposes such as local events and experiential activities. Park Hyun-soon added a heartfelt wish, "If I wanted to make more money, there would be no reason to build this place. I hope many people leave here touched and energized." Currently his total assets amount to about "100 billion won." But he revealed a generous philosophy, saying, "Even if it is 1 billion or 2 billion won, that's one thing, but once it exceeds 10 billion won it's not mine. It's for everyone to use." He, who has two sons and one daughter, also left a strong message to his children, saying, "Support is only until you finish your studies," and "Don't expect to inherit."
In particular, on this broadcast Park Hyun-soon's family story was revealed and an unexpected matchmaking attempt took place. When Park Hyun-soon introduced his eldest son, Jang Ye-won showed curious interest, saying, "Coincidentally, he's four years different from me." Then Seo Jang-hoon, who was standing nearby, immediately switched into matchmaker mode and actively said, "Has your eldest son gotten married? How about a daughter-in-law like this?" making the scene burst into laughter.
[Photo] Provided by EBS.
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