[Sportschosun | Reporter Woo-joo Lee] Jo Kwon, star of 'New Woman,' confessed that he experienced financial hardship even during his heyday.
On the 8th, a video titled 'During the Heyday of World Changing Quiz Show... Did He Always Handwrite Letters to Female Idols?!' was posted on the YouTube content series 'New Woman,' featuring 2AM's Jo Kwon as a guest.
After making his debut with 2AM following years as a trainee, Jo Kwon began his variety-show career on Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)'s 'Star King.' Jo Kwon stated, "The internet went wild after my first appearance. At first, I thought people were criticizing me because there were so many comments using the word 'kkap.' Back then, couldn't the word 'kkap' sound negative? But it became a term of endearment."
After later appearing on 'World Changing Quiz Show,' Jo Kwon said, "That was when my luck really turned around. At the time, 'Star King,' 'World Changing Quiz Show,' and 'We Got Married' were all doing well, and 2AM's 'Can't Let You Go, Even If I Die' also became a hit."
However, Jo Kwon confessed that he was experiencing severe financial difficulties at the time. He said, "I was in a very difficult financial situation then. The money the company invested in trainees was treated as debt that the artists had to repay. That changed after I made my debut. The Fair Trade Commission changed the rules so that the companies would bear those costs." He added, "I received my first settlement three or four years after debut. The company had invested money in me as a trainee, after all. But everyone thought I was rich."
Jo Kwon continued, "I didn't have time to feel grateful or happy. After that, we filmed a Chuseok or Lunar New Year special for 'World Changing Quiz Show.' Since my family home was in Suwon, I went home, and my mother was washing her hair with cold water. The hot water had been cut off. That was when I made up my mind. My first thought was that I had to work hard to earn money, and it motivated me to secure a regular spot on a show."
wjlee@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
