Actor Jeon Won-ju, praised as the queen of frugality, revealed an anecdote about three people sharing one order at a cafe, sparking debate.
On the 24th, the YouTube channel 'Jeon Won-ju In-gong' posted a video titled "I came with my daughter-in-law to match wigs to cover my completely exposed back of the head." The released video shows Jeon Won-ju visiting Seoul's Namdaemun Market with her daughter-in-law to get a wig fitted.
Jeon Won-ju met her daughter-in-law, Kim Hae-hyun, who she said felt like a biological daughter, and enjoyed an outing at Namdaemun Market. She said, "I'm the one with money, do you have money?" and paid for doenjang-tang for her daughter-in-law and the staff, showing a satisfying side of an elder.
However, at the cafe they went to after the meal, Jeon Won-ju displayed her frugal spirit. She and her daughter-in-law decided to order one coffee to share between the two of them. The daughter-in-law, as if accustomed to it, asked, "Mother, just order one, right? You'll buy one latte and share it, right?" Kim Hae-hyun said, "Sometimes when my mother comes to a cafe with my husband and me, she orders only one drink. These days, cafes generally expect one drink per person, don't they? If I suggest ordering two, she says, 'Order just one!'" and felt embarrassed.
In fact, she took out a paper cup from her bag as if accustomed to it. She confessed that she always orders only one drink when out with her mother and had packed a paper cup thinking they would go to a cafe with Jeon Won-ju. In response, Jeon Won-ju emphasized her frugal spirit, saying, "I went to the Blue House twice to receive awards for frugality and savings. I took my daughter-in-law with me then. They give awards for being frugal."
She even said, "I used only one page of the broadcast script and didn't use the back. I brought it home, reversed it and used it for filming. When there is leftover tissue somewhere, I bring it home, spread it out and stack it. It became a habit, so I carry cups and bowls with me. If no one here notices, someone here will point it out. Saving like that accumulates money."
The daughter-in-law said, "I wish my mother-in-law would invest a little more and spend on herself," and added, "I'm glad she lives happily. Since doing YouTube she tries various things. In the past she lived so focused on the future that she couldn't look around, but now she's happy so it's good."
Although Jeon Won-ju warmly continued her Namdaemun Market outing while emphasizing frugality in front of her daughter-in-law, viewers who watched the video launched a heated debate. Critics argued that three adults ordering only one drink at a cafe is inconsiderate.
The YouTube video sparked a debate over pros and cons. Some said, "Ordering one menu item per person is a basic expectation for a table," "Frugality is fine, but causing inconvenience to others crosses a line. Do small business owners run their shops on thin air?", and "It's not frugality but a matter of manners in public places."
On the other hand, defenders argued that it is a lifelong habit and urged respect for the life Jeon Won-ju has lived. They said, "She became wealthy by being so frugal," and "The daughter-in-law seems to have compromised to avoid family conflict," defending the daughter-in-law's attitude of respecting an elderly mother-in-law. Jeon Won-ju was born in 1939 and is 86 this year.
In fact, Jeon Won-ju is widely known to have accumulated assets of around 4 billion won through frugality and consistent investment skills. The highest stock return rate she revealed on past broadcasts was over 600%, which drew attention. She has been known to give her daughter-in-law hundreds of thousands of won as pocket money, make personal investments, and not skimp on health expenses.
In the video she also surprised viewers by saying she spent 5 million won on dermatology procedures such as Ulthera for personal skin care. While she generously spent 100,000 won on meals for the staff, her penny-pinching insistence on one order per person at cafes continued to provoke debate.
[Photo] OSEN database, YouTube source.
[OSEN]