[Getty Images Bank]
[Getty Images Bank]

Ham Ik-byeong, a dermatologist who has built assets of 10 billion won ($7.3 million), has taken aim at young people in their 20s who prioritize work-life balance.

On Wednesday, Ham appeared on the YouTube channel "Wolgeubjjaengi Bujadeul TV," a personal finance channel, where he shared his views on wealth-building, careers and investment for younger generations.

On the question of how to accumulate wealth, Ham said, "Nothing in life comes easy," adding that people in their 20s "need to do even the things they don't want to do, spend frugally and save."

"Talking about work-life balance in your 20s means you're ignoring money," he said. "If work-life balance is on your mind in your 20s, don't even bring up money." He was equally blunt about going into debt to buy a car, saying anyone who does so is "someone who will live in debt and die in debt."

He went on to say, "If you lived that way and were satisfied with it, don't turn around at 50 and despair over having no money" — people must accept the consequences of their own choices, he said.

Ham said success requires hardship, noting that people talented enough to build wealth without effort — "someone like Mozart, with a brilliant mind and great ideas" — come along only once in every 100 people.

On setting realistic goals, he said, "If you keep at it, you may not make 10 billion won, but you can make 1 billion won. That 1 billion is what we call being wealthy. Staring up at someone who made 10 billion won will only give you a stiff neck. You can live very well on 1 billion."

On workplace attitude, Ham said employees should be preparing to start their own business while still on the job. "If you go to work thinking about doing your own thing, you'll find things to learn. The whole company becomes a classroom," he said.

He added that every company is a pyramid structure, and as people climb the ranks, fewer positions are available — which is why workers should be preparing for their own ventures while still employed.

On investment, Ham said, "Once you've made enough to live on, you need to find balance," warning that putting everything into shares and watching them crash means "you end up broke."

Earlier, Ham appeared on the same YouTube channel in June, where he revealed that from his 30s until age 45 — roughly a decade — he worked through Sundays and holidays without rest in pursuit of his goals.


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