The former chairman Lee Hyun-sam, who led kitchen innovation with the ‘dual frying pan’ and recorded an annual sales of 200 billion won, revealed his current status of living as a natural person after leaving behind the glamorous life of a business executive.
On April 23, the EBS·E Channel joint variety show ‘Seojanghoon’s Millionaire Neighbor’ aired a story with the subheading ‘The chairman who earned 180 billion and became a natural person’, featuring the legendary kitchenware brand founder, Lee Hyun-sam.
Lee Hyun-sam was the first in the world to develop a dual frying pan, dominating both domestic and international markets, and was known as the ‘BTS of Kitchenware.’ However, in 2016, he suddenly announced his retirement and went into the mountains of Gangwon-do after selling his company for about 180 billion won.
The location he resides in is an enormous 30,000 square meters of mountain land. Seojanghoon and Jonathan visited his mountain to get a glimpse of the life continued in nature. Lee Hyun-sam spends a quiet life nurturing dozens of expensive bonsai trees over 300 years old, and a unique scene unfolded inside the greenhouse with luxury imported cars parked, catching attention.
Seojanghoon couldn’t hide his amazement, saying, “In a greenhouse, such cars…,” while Jonathan joked, “Just brushing against it costs a fortune,” carefully moving his body, bringing laughter. However, Lee Hyun-sam added more curiosity to the hidden story by saying, “The real treasure is underground,” leading the crew to another space.
Meanwhile, the broadcast also featured a ‘What’s in My Bag’ segment checking Lee Hyun-sam’s belongings. More than ten bankbooks poured out of his bag, and when Jonathan asked, “Don’t you do online banking?” Lee Hyun-sam shook his head, saying, “I have never made a transfer online.” Seojanghoon also related, saying, “I don’t do it often either,” adding to the humor.
The image of former chairman Lee Hyun-sam, living his life at his own pace away from reality, makes us re-think the new definition of success and life transitions.