Actor Go Kyung Pyo candidly reflected on one of his biggest business setbacks, revealing that his attempt to co-own a fine dining restaurant ended in failure. The heartfelt confession came during the July 5 episode of MBC’s travel variety show Nolleocoaster, where Noh Hong Chul, chef Choi Kang Rok, Go Kyung Pyo, and travel YouTuber Pani Bottle explored a local theme park in Germany.
During the episode, Choi Kang Rok reminisced about his early years in Japan. “I studied Japanese in Tokyo for a while before moving to Osaka,” he recalled. “When I was 24, I opened my first restaurant with a business partner.”
As Choi Kang Rok recounted the experience, Go Kyung Pyo let out a particularly deep sigh, immediately catching everyone’s attention. Sensing there was more to the story, Pani Bottle jokingly asked, “I guess we don’t even need to ask how that turned out?” With a bittersweet smile, Choi replied, “Business partnerships are difficult.”
Inspired by the conversation, Go Kyung Pyo admitted he had gone through a similar experience. “I also co-owned a fine dining restaurant,” he revealed. He then added with a rueful laugh, “But it ended disastrously.”
According to the actor, the venture ultimately collapsed after the restaurant’s majority shareholder, a Hong Kong investor, returned to his home country. Although Go Kyung Pyo did not go into further detail, his brief comment hinted at the financial and operational challenges that can arise when managing a restaurant through a business partnership.
The conversation later shifted back to Choi Kang Rok’s culinary journey abroad. Noh Hong Chul asked how the chef first decided to study in Japan. “I simply looked toward Tokyo first because I heard there was a famous culinary school there,” Choi Kang Rok explained.
He then shared an unexpected story about his early days in Japan. After arriving in Tokyo, he rented a room in a Japanese family’s home, similar to a boarding arrangement. “After only a few days, the homeowner told me I couldn’t stay there any longer,” he recalled. “So I packed my belongings and ended up staying at a temple.” His unpredictable experiences during his time in Japan left the cast visibly surprised and amused.
Go Kyung Pyo’s honest confession resonated with viewers by highlighting the challenges that often accompany business partnerships, particularly in the highly competitive fine dining industry.
While the actor has found lasting success in his acting career, he admitted that his venture into the restaurant business became a valuable lesson—one that, in his own words, ended “in disaster.”
Sources: Daum | 엑스포츠뉴스
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