Bucket-Load Of Gold? — Iconic Boy Group Member Recounts Insane Fan Gifts

The explosive global popularity of K-Pop groups in recent years often seems to create an impression that earlier generation groups didn’t get to enjoy a similar level of hype. In one of his recent interviews, a member of one of the very first K-Pop groups ever shattered this misconception with one simple anecdote.

Jung Won Gwan

In a recent video uploaded on the YouTube channel Song Seung Hwan’s Wonderful Life, Sobangcha member Jung Won Gwan appeared and shared some stories from his glory days with the group. Sobangcha, a three-member male group that debuted in 1987 with the song “Story of Last Night,” is widely considered one of the first idol groups in Korea.

Sobangcha | Namu Wiki

While talking about their peak years, Jung revealed the extent of their hectic schedule, stating that they had only three hours of sleep daily.

We were so busy, I didn’t even know where my money was. I’d put on clothes hanging on the rack and find money in the pockets. There were no other groups like us at the time, so we did everything — events, commercials — and even had contracts with 11 nightclubs. We only slept about three hours a day while promoting.

— Jung Won Gwan

When asked what kind of gifts they received from fans, Jung recalled that it depended on each member’s fan demographic. “My fans ranged from late teens to even moms,” he recounted, adding that he often received extravagant gifts on his birthday owing to the older fanbase.

On my birthday, I’d get gold rings and audio systems, while the other members got 100% stuffed animals. Their rooms would fill up with dolls on their birthdays. For me, only about a third of the room would fill up — but with gold and audio equipment.

— Jung Won Gwan

Jung mentioned that the small trash bin in his room was fully stacked with gold items, including rings and bracelets.

Jung’s story reminded Song Seung Hwan of his own peak years in the 80s, when he used to receive thoughtful gifts such as handmade paper cranes and hand-knit scarves for the winter. Song and Jung humorously highlighted how the monetary generosity of fans evolved across generations, with the latter wondering if idol fans would now move on to gifting cryptocurrency to their artists.

You can watch the full interview here: