Singer Kim Junsu's story moved viewers' hearts as a "narrative of success." The place where he currently resides is the Signiel Residence in Jamsil, Seoul, known as the most expensive officetel in Korea. It is a residential space for the top 1% that offers six-star hotel-level services in a 123-floor supertall building.
But behind the glamorous present was a stark past. Appearing as a guest on SBS's 'My Little Old Boy' broadcast on the 18th, Kim Junsu opened his home and recalled the housing conditions of his childhood. Watching this, Shin Dong-yeob said, "It seems the reason you came to value a home is related to the living environment you had when you were young."
Kim Junsu said, "Looking back, that life was much harder than I thought," and added, "Like the semi-basement in the movie 'Parasite,' my family also lived in a semi-basement." He continued, "But it wasn't a house with a structure like in the movie; it was really a one-room. There was no bathroom."
He recalled, "Because there was no bathroom, we had to urinate into the sink or spread newspapers, and the kitchen was not inside the room but had to be accessed outside," adding, "Looking back now, it was a space closer to a storage room than a house." He then revealed, "From then on, I set a goal to 'one day live in a proper house.'"
This experience later had a major influence on his choices. Kim Junsu said, "Even after debut, I stayed in dorms for a long time, so I wanted to provide a home for my parents before getting my own house," and added, "So the first thing I did was give my parents a house as a gift."
Hearing this, the mother panelists applauded, saying, "It's not an easy decision, that's really admirable," and, "This is a truly dutiful child." After the broadcast, viewers also responded, "This success story could be a book," "I was moved by hearing that he provided a home for his parents first," and "The process is more impressive than the glamour."
From a semi-basement one-room to a supertall residence. Kim Junsu's story remains as a record of one person's life memories becoming goals and choices, beyond a simple symbol of wealth.
[Photo] 'OSEN DB, My Little Old Boy'
[OSEN]