Chairman Kwon Dong-chil, the "shoe inventor" who created an annual sales legend of 300 billion won, recalled a shocking and heartbreaking past when he had to give up an ambitious project because of the notorious escapee Shin Chang-won.
On the broadcast of EBS's Seo Jang-hoon's The Millionaire Next Door at 9:55 p.m. on the 6th, the tumultuous life story of Kwon Dong-chil, who overcame poverty to restore the pride of a native outdoor brand, was depicted. Especially on this broadcast, an extraordinary shoe anecdote linked to "escapee Shin Chang-won" was revealed, drawing attention.
That day, Chairman Kwon, while unveiling his extraordinary shoe collection he had invented, introduced the "spider shoes," which he had to discard entirely just before release after the pain of having to destroy the entire stock. Using the structure of a spider's legs to achieve strong adhesion that allowed it to stick to walls, this shoe was a product that at the time carried the industry's highest expectations.
But the unexpected stumbling block was "escapee Shin Chang-won." Chairman Kwon said, "When news reported that Shin Chang-won had climbed the exterior wall of a building to break in while on the run, concerns grew that the spider shoes, which adhere well to walls, could be misused for crime," and he revealed the circumstances that forced him to swallow his tears and destroy the entire stock. It was a moment that showed the "millionaire's stubbornness," a decision made out of worry that the technology was so advanced it could become a criminal tool.
Chairman Kwon's insight even penetrated MC Seo Jang-hoon's habits, eliciting admiration. Seeing Seo Jang-hoon's shoes, he asked, "You usually dislike putting shoes on and taking them off, right?" Seo Jang-hoon replied, "During my playing days I had to tighten my shoelaces so much that calluses formed. Because of that pain I now only wear slippers," expressing his frustration and creating a bittersweetly funny atmosphere on set.
Chairman Kwon also said, "Instead of using star models, I spend hundreds of millions in development costs," explaining his management philosophy that "spending money on products rather than celebrities is the true way to repay consumers." Behind his success, such recklessly stubborn determination was present, including the world's first development of an ultralight hiking boot at "290g."
There was not only dazzling success. Chairman Kwon recently confessed to a desperate crisis in which he had to sell even the company building after exports to Europe were blocked due to the aftermath of the war. What saved him then was none other than the citizens. Saying, "A local company that made combat boots must not fail," Busan citizens and military veterans spontaneously formed a line of an "open run."
Having overcome the crisis with the love of the citizens, Chairman Kwon later donated thousands of pairs of shoes to wildfire victims in the Yeongnam region, practicing a "virtuous cycle of giving." His sincere voice that "a lifelong dream is for a Korean brand to become No. 1 in the world" left an impact.
[Photo] "The Millionaire Next Door"
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