Actor Lim Chae-moo, who has been in the industry for 52 years, revealed a shocking 19 billion won debt accumulated from operating the amusement park 'Duriland'.
In a preview aired on the KBS2 entertainment show 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkeys' on the 13th, comedian Park Myung-soo was seen visiting the amusement park 'Duriland' located in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. This park has been directly operated by actor Lim Chae-moo since 1990, for nearly 40 years.
During the broadcast, when Park Myung-soo asked, “How much have you borrowed here?”, Lim Chae-moo replied, “19 billion won,” surprising everyone. He added, “Daily sales are between 160,000 to 320,000 won. To pay taxes, I have to borrow more, and these days I am really cornered.”
Lim Chae-moo is known for having sold two apartments in Yeouido, Seoul, to build the amusement park 'Duriland' for children. In fact, during the early days of the park, he lived with his wife on two military beds next to the restroom while focusing on its operation.
He revealed on a show, “I promised my employees that if they worked for three years, I would buy them an apartment, and I actually gifted 26 people with 18-pyeong apartments. There are still employees living in those homes.” This statement garnered significant attention.
However, the cost of such goodwill was high. Lim Chae-moo confessed, “Initially, we didn’t charge an entrance fee for the amusement park and started operating for free, which eventually increased the burden of operating costs.”
Duriland closed once in 2017 due to fine dust and financial issues, but after a three-year renovation, it reopened in April 2020 as an indoor theme park.
Currently, it attracts family visitors with facilities such as VR games and educational training centers.
Known as a representative 'angel of goodwill' in the entertainment industry, Lim Chae-moo stated, “I wanted to give children dreams and hope. I want to protect this space until the end.”
Park Chan-hyung, MK Sports Reporter
