Do Kyung-wan [YouTube channel 'SHW Lifestyle Watch']
Do Kyung-wan [YouTube channel 'SHW Lifestyle Watch']

Broadcaster Do Kyung-wan, 44, said he sold a luxury watch secondhand to cover a tax bill — a claim drawing ridicule given that he and his wife purchased a 12 billion won ($9.06 million) penthouse outright in cash.

Do appeared on the YouTube channel "SHW Lifestyle Watch" on Thursday and said, "In May, I had to pay taxes but was a little short on cash, so I sold a watch on Karrot."

He added, "I was going through a lean patch with no money. I had big tax bills in May and August, work dried up, and my YouTube channel wasn't doing well either." He also said, "I have no money. A lot of it is tied up in stocks, so I'm being forced to cut back on spending."

On the same day, Do appeared on the KBS2 variety program "Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant," where he complained about his investment in SK hynix. "Why is SK hynix dropping? I went in with leverage," he said. "I'm down 40 percent. I bought in at 490,000 won and now it's at 290,000 won."

On the same program, Do grumbled that a 10,000-won withdrawal for a savings club had left his bank account balance at 254,795 won, and he complained to his family about a water bill that came in 58,000 won higher than expected. He also drew attention for taking extreme cost-cutting measures at home — telling his children to flush the toilet only after collecting water and removing the batteries from the air conditioner remote.

The comments have sparked a backlash, with many pointing out that the couple built considerable wealth through Jang's career as a singer. Do and Jang purchased the "Apre Han River" penthouse in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in 2024, paying roughly 12 billion won entirely in cash. Last month, Do also appeared on a YouTube channel to showcase top-of-the-line Rolex watches owned by Jang, with prices starting at 70 million won new and exceeding 100 million won for some models.

Online commenters were quick to react. "Everyone knows they're rich — it's uncomfortable to watch them pretend to be poor," one wrote. Another said, "Are they mocking ordinary people who are actually struggling?" A third comment read, "This reminds me of that former president who said he had 290,000 won in his account."


paq@heraldcorp.com