Broadcaster Seo Jang-hoon [Newsis]
Broadcaster Seo Jang-hoon [Newsis]

Former basketball player turned broadcaster Seo Jang-hoon has pushed back against rumors that he is worth 2 trillion won ($1.49 billion), while confirming he owns three buildings — the result, he said, of frugal habits and careful saving during his playing days.

Seo made the remarks on Friday's episode of the SBS variety program "Mueoseideun Haejul Jini — Biseoojin," saying he has "a few headaches of my own" despite owning three buildings.

He said the figure had been wildly inflated. "Kim Hee-chul was joking around on a variety show and it got blown up to 2 trillion won," Seo said. "When I looked it up, only 35 people in the country actually have 2 trillion won. What would I have done to earn that? Still, five or six out of every hundred people genuinely believe it."

Dismissing the rumors, Seo explained how he came to own property. "During my playing days I never spent what I earned at home, so I was able to keep saving it all," he said. "Because I saved what I made, it accumulated and grew a little more over time."

He added that his personal spending is minimal. "About the only money I spend on myself is food delivery," he said. "I don't buy clothes because nothing fits anyway, and I cut back on electricity bills — I keep expenses to an absolute minimum."

Seo said he trims every cost he possibly can, finding common ground with fellow broadcaster Lee Seo-jin on their shared habit of frugal spending.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com