EBS ‘Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-door Millionaire’

Ahn Young-hwan, a hotel CEO and former U.S. engineer, revealed on the program the heartbreaking story of selling a building to build a ‘5,000-pyeong hanok,’ only for his ‘30-year treasure’ to be reduced to ashes by a wildfire.

‘Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-door Millionaire’ spotlighted Ahn Young-hwan, a man who left a high-paying engineering job in the United States to devote his life to hanok, and the owner of the ‘first in Korea’ hanok hotel. The story of choosing generosity over despair, even after the treasures he had devoted 30 years to were reduced to ashes by wildfire, delivered a deep resonance.

On the July 8 broadcast of EBS ‘Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-door Millionaire,’ Ahn Young-hwan, the protagonist behind Korea’s ‘first hanok experience business,’ appeared and opened up about his ‘35-year single-minded life devoted to hanok,’ achieved through tenacity and grit. In the past, Ahn worked as a computer engineer in the United States earning a high salary, but he set his sights on a new challenge instead of a stable life and set foot back in Korea.

While helping his father in real estate development, one day he received a request from an acquaintance who said, “I want to tear down the hanok and build a villa.” Confronted with a 150-year-old hanok known as the ‘Mapo Hwangbuja House,’ he instantly lost his heart to it and ultimately decided to open a Korean restaurant that preserved the unique elegance of hanok instead of pursuing development. Recalling his fateful first encounter with hanok, he said, “I can’t pinpoint exactly why I was drawn to it. It feels like hanok was in my DNA.” In the early days the restaurant struggled, with daily sales of only 200,000 to 300,000 won, but after recruiting a renowned chef on a friend’s recommendation, it achieved monthly sales of 100 million won and succeeded. That restaurant later became a solid foundation for him to build a massive hanok hotel.

Fascinated by the beauty of hanok, he began touring historic houses nationwide and incorporated that experience into lodging. When he sold a commercial property he owned and purchased an old hanok in Bukchon, Seoul, his family protested, saying, “You’re selling an income-generating property to buy a hanok that doesn’t make money.” The hanok he acquired was a ‘Jindan Society’ building constructed during the Japanese colonial period, and Ahn poured two years into restoration alone to preserve its historicity. This became his first hanok hotel. After a massive project spanning 15 years, Ahn completed a hanok hotel of 22 buildings on a 5,000-pyeong site in Andong. Regarding construction costs, he revealed, “I raised the funds by selling a building I had in Myeong-dong,” drawing amazement.

On the show, Seo Jang-hoon and Jang Ye-won toured the hotel, experiencing the beauty of hanok and Ahn Young-hwan’s philosophy imbued within. In particular, the venue drew attention as the site of the Korea-Japan summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Takaichi held this May. After sitting where the two leaders had sat and drinking tea, Seo Jang-hoon said, “It’s a great honor. Drinking it here makes the tea taste even more special.”

Ahn Young-hwan’s cherished space embodying the aesthetics of ‘chagyeong,’ enjoying the nature beyond the wall as one’s own garden, was unveiled. Hanging there was a rare handwritten work by Yulgok Yi I, drawing the eye. When Seo Jang-hoon remarked, “It must be very expensive,” Ahn stated firmly, “With antiques, once you buy them, you forget the price. Their value cannot be measured in money.” However, the massive wildfire that swept through Andong last year took many things away.

A storage facility holding 1,100 antique artworks collected over 30 years was completely destroyed, and even the hanok school established to pass down hanok craftsmanship turned to ashes. Yet Ahn did not remain in despair. He provided an 8,000-pyeong plot, where only the site remained, free of charge as land for temporary housing for wildfire victims, and even donated back the rent paid by the city, transforming pain into sharing. Finally, he said, “When you visit foreign museums, the Korea section is far too small. My goal is to donate hanok to museums around the world.” Ahn Young-hwan’s wish not only to preserve Korea’s traditional culture but to share its beauty and excellence with the world offered profound inspiration.

EBS ‘Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-door Millionaire’ airs every Wednesday at 9:55 p.m., and after broadcast it can also be viewed on OTT platforms such as Netflix and Wavve.