Kim Min-jong Claims Container Home Life Was TV Fabrication

Actor Kim Min-jong shared insights into his past experiences, particularly regarding a period when he lived in a container house. He explained that the portrayal of this time on television was "a packaged version for the show." Kim appeared on KBS1's "Morning Room" and addressed rumors about him leaving a restaurant without paying. When asked if he had ever done so, he responded, "I tried to pay, but the owner refused to accept it."

Kim mentioned that he once participated in a segment for the program My Little Old Boy, which many mothers watch. During this segment, he built and lived in a container house in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. He described how broadcasting can be "scary," as the production team ended up presenting it as if he actually lived there. Kim added, "At the time, my mother had passed away not long before, and since the place where I laid her to rest was nearby, they portrayed me as living there [in the container]."

In the November 2020 episode of SBS’s My Little Old Boy, Kim was shown living alone in a container box house in the mountains of Yangpyeong. His simple kitchen, small bed, and morning routine of lighting a wood fire attracted attention as a "minimalist naturalist lifestyle." Notably, Kim confessed, "After losing my mother, I could only sleep with the help of alcohol," which evoked sympathy from viewers.

Kim explained that the restaurant owner must have been strongly influenced by that broadcast. At first, with long hair and a beard, she didn’t recognize him, but later she did and said, “It’s fine, just go” when he tried to pay. He revealed, "I tried to explain that I was growing my hair out for a role, but she didn’t listen. She said, 'Why are you living like that? You used to be handsome. Don’t pay, just go and live healthily and hard,' leading to the unintended 'free meal.'"

Through the broadcast, he clarified misunderstandings, saying, "Mother, I’m healthy and happy. I’m living well in Gangnam."

Kim grew his hair long for the film Firenze, which depicts a middle-aged man, Seok-in (Kim Min-jong), reflecting on his past and rediscovering the meaning of lost things. Kim attempted a bold image transformation by maintaining long hair and a beard.

Firenze won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay at the 2025 Global Stage Hollywood Film Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles on the 4th of last month. Kim shared, "It’s a special feeling to have my first film in a long time recognized in Hollywood."