On the June 14 broadcast of SBS's 'My Little Old Boy,' Kang Ye-won made her first appearance as the show's newest cast member.
During the episode, Kang drew attention by revealing her strict budgeting. Having reduced her monthly living expenses to 2 million won, she surprised viewers by sharing her plans to further cut her spending to 1 million won next month.
Kang explained, "I felt I had to stop all unnecessary spending because of my father's hospital bills. The intensive care unit (ICU) wasn't covered by insurance, which led to tens of millions of won in medical bills every month."
It was then revealed that her father had recently passed away after a battle with illness, bringing sadness to the viewers. Kang shared the reason behind her shift in mindset, saying, "At first, I did nothing but cry, but I realized I couldn't just do that. I'm the eldest child, so I have to do something."
Later, Kang visited a law office and handed over documents to a lawyer. The lawyer asked, "Your father accumulated a lot of debt while running his business. Just looking at the documents you brought, the debt is around 1 to 1.1 billion won. Were you aware of this?"
Kang only learned about her father's debt after his passing. The lawyer delivered a shocking revelation, saying, "About 300 million won needs to be repaid in May. I'm also worried that the debt might increase from here. There could be more. There might be personal debts, and we don't know when creditors might show up."
Eventually bursting into tears, Kang expressed her distress over the debt repayment, which added to the overwhelming grief of losing her father. "I had no idea it was this much when my father was alive," she said.
She then shared her honest feelings about the debt, saying, "Still, since my father raised me well, it's only right that I handle this, but it's so difficult and I don't know what to do."
The lawyer advised, "There is a law that applies when the inherited debt exceeds the inherited assets. It's called 'qualified acceptance' (limited recognition). You only have to repay the debt within the limits of the inherited assets." The lawyer added, "Your mother can apply for qualified acceptance, sell the inherited apartment, and repay the debt. As for you and your sibling, it would be best to renounce the inheritance."
Upon hearing this, Kang could not hide her heartbreak, saying, "But that is the house where our family of four lived for 30 years. It breaks my heart that we have to sell it."
The lawyer also explained that she does not have to pay the debts incurred from her father's business operations, stating, "Debts incurred under a corporate name are not related to inheritance."
In response, Kang mentioned the employees who had worked by her father's side for nearly 20 years, honestly expressing her desire to do as much as she could for them.
Later, Kang visited her father's office to pack up his belongings. She shed tears as she looked at a family photo on her father's desk.
On this day, Kang met with her father's employees. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude and handed over a portion of their unpaid wages.
Kang expressed her gratitude to those who stayed by her father's side until the end and understood her situation, saying, "When I learned about the existence of the debt, I felt pathetic for never having taken responsibility for anything. I am so sorry and grateful, and I will live my life repaying you with things far greater than money. Thank you so much."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Hyo-jung)