Choi Jin-hee Earned 100 Million Won in a Single Day When Public Servants Made 40,000 Won a Month

In an era when a government employee's monthly salary was just 40,000 won — roughly equivalent to the cost of a modest dinner today — singer Choi Jin-hee was pulling in 100 million won in a single day. The legendary performer, now in her 43rd year since debut, opened up about the staggering scale of her 1980s earnings on the March 15 episode of MBN's cooking-variety show Altoran, leaving fellow cast members and viewers alike in disbelief at the sheer magnitude of her past success.

The revelation came during a warm and wide-ranging appearance alongside hosts Lee Sang-min, Lee Yeon-bok, Cha Yu-na, and Denian, with chef Park Hyo-nam also joining as a guest. Choi, whose signature hit "Labyrinth of Love" (사랑의 미로) dominated Korean music charts for an extraordinary 41 consecutive weeks, was asked by Lee Sang-min about the income that such popularity would have generated.

One Hundred Million Won — Not Adjusted for Inflation

"Some days, I earned around 100 million won in a single day," Choi Jin-hee stated matter-of-factly, prompting an immediate reaction from Cha Yu-na. "Wait — you mean 100 million won not adjusted for inflation? That was the actual amount in the 1980s?" Cha asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"That's right," Choi confirmed. "I heard later that civil servants were making about 40,000 won a month back then. I didn't even know that at the time." The casual way she mentioned her ignorance of average salaries — a natural consequence of living in the rarefied air of superstardom — added a layer of endearing honesty to the revelation.

Chef and TV personality Lee Yeon-bok put the figure into further perspective: "A hundred million won back then would have been enough to buy two or three houses," he noted, underscoring just how astronomical Choi's earnings were by any measure. For context, South Korea's rapid economic growth during the 1980s meant that real estate prices were a fraction of today's values, making Choi's daily income equivalent to purchasing multiple properties in a single workday.

"With that money, I was able to buy my mother a house," Choi shared, a simple statement that carried the weight of a daughter's gratitude and the fulfillment of a deeply personal promise.

A Voice That Conquered Even North Korea

Choi Jin-hee's fame during the 1980s extended far beyond South Korea's borders — quite literally into North Korean territory. During the broadcast, she proudly declared herself "a top singer in North Korea," explaining that her music had achieved remarkable popularity across the divided peninsula.

"I've been to Pyongyang four times," she revealed. "After the performances, they would take us on tours of the city. When we went outside, people on the other side of the street would call out, 'Ms. Choi Jin-hee! Welcome!'" The anecdote offered a rare glimpse into the cultural bridges that popular music can build even across the world's most heavily fortified border.

Her signature song "Labyrinth of Love" was the engine driving this cross-border fame. The track's 41-week chart run remains one of the most impressive achievements in Korean pop music history, establishing Choi as a genuine cultural phenomenon whose appeal transcended the usual boundaries of the entertainment industry.

From Near Death to a New Purpose

But Choi Jin-hee's story took a significantly darker turn when she opened up about the health crisis that nearly ended her life and ultimately redirected her passions. The losses of her father to a cerebral hemorrhage and her mother to complications from diabetes left her emotionally devastated.

"After my parents passed away, I felt so empty and took it so hard that I became seriously ill myself," she said. The illness escalated to sepsis — a life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure — and she was hospitalized for five days. "I lost six kilograms in those five days. My face looked like a skeleton," she recalled. "That was the moment I decided I had to survive, that I had to take care of myself."

That brush with death transformed Choi into a passionate advocate for healthy eating. She began studying nutrition and cooking with the same intensity she had once brought to her music career, eventually entering and winning a grand prize at an international brunch competition — a remarkable achievement for someone who had spent decades as a performing artist rather than a culinary professional.

"I became interested in health food and learned Italian cooking with a friend," she explained with characteristic modesty. "The professor encouraged me to enter a competition. I was just lucky." She also revealed her most prized culinary treasure: a batch of maesil-cheong (plum syrup) that she had been aging for 25 years, made from wild plums she personally picked in Gwangyang. "I'm obsessed with finding the best ingredients," she admitted. "I travel around looking for the best saeu-jeot (fermented shrimp) and seasonal ingredients."

Forty Years at the Same Weight

Perhaps most impressively, Choi shared that she has maintained the same body weight for four decades — a claim that drew audible gasps from the studio audience. "My secret is right here," she said, gesturing to the healthy detox soup she had prepared for the show. "I exercise too, but not much. I control everything through food."

The revelation tied together the different threads of Choi Jin-hee's remarkable life: the astronomical success of her music career, the devastating personal losses that nearly destroyed her, and the reinvention that emerged from those darkest moments. At 43 years into a career that shows no signs of slowing down, she stands as living proof that reinvention is not just possible but can lead to an entirely new form of mastery.

Now running her own restaurant — decorated with paintings she created herself — Choi Jin-hee has found a way to channel her creative energy, her love of health, and her desire to nurture others into a second act that is every bit as compelling as her first. From hundred-million-won days on stage to hand-picking wild plums in the Korean countryside, her journey is a testament to the extraordinary range of a life lived with passion and resilience.