The Venom and Glory of Comeback Icons

The success stories of celebrities are being proven with concrete figures of 'tens of billions of won.' Stars who have transformed into entrepreneurs after leaving the spotlight are achieving record-breaking success, showcasing their overwhelming progress as they leave their past glories behind to forge new identities as 'successful business leaders.'

Singer Lim Young-woong worried about making ends meet in a rooftop room during his unknown days, but he is now rewriting the history of the Korean music industry. He supported himself and his mother by working part-time at convenience stores and selling roasted sweet potatoes. After winning "Mr. Trot" in 2020, he has continued his dominant run. As of March 2026, he has surpassed BTS to rank first all-time on Melon, the largest domestic music platform, with a cumulative 13.4907 billion streams. He also proved his success by purchasing a penthouse worth over 5.1 billion won entirely with cash.

Singer IU, who was told during her difficult childhood that she might only succeed if she "worked like a cockroach," has now established herself as a representative solo artist of Korea. Her hit song "Good Day" in 2010 propelled her to the status of 'Nation's Little Sister,' and she had 11 songs within the top 100 on Melon's 2010s chart. She also achieved peak success as an actress with dramas like "My Mister" and "Hotel Del Luna." She overcame past hardships by purchasing a Cheongdam residence worth approximately 13 billion won entirely with cash.

Actor Yoo Hae-jin is called a 'trustworthy actor' and has starred in five films that have drawn over 10 million viewers, but he had to endure obscurity and poverty in the past. During his theater days, he and fellow actor Ryu Seung-ryong supplemented their living expenses by working assembly jobs at a bidet factory. He made his late debut in the 1997 film "Blackjack." In 2023, he surprised many by purchasing a detached house in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, worth around 4.5 billion won.

Singer Soyou was a recipient of basic livelihood support during difficult times and even experienced her home being burglarized, but she discovered the key to 'success.' She debuted with the group Sistar in 2010 and created an 'unbeatable legend' by never missing the number one spot on the weekly charts from 2011 until the group's disbandment in 2017. In her solo career, her 2014 collaboration with Junggigo, "Some," became a mega-hit, earning her the title 'Collaboration Goddess.' The girl who once worried about 1,500 won for hospital bills has now become a powerhouse in the Korean music market.