From rapper to pen company CEO: Kim Jin-pyo reveals surprising 2nd career
Kim Jin-pyo / Captured from Defconn's YouTube channel
Kim Jin-pyo has revealed an unexpected second act far removed from the music industry: Running a struggling pen company founded by his grandfather.
The rapper and television personality recently appeared on Defconn’s YouTube channel, where he opened up about becoming the CEO of Korea Pilot, a company that imports writing instruments.
In the video, rapper Defconn expressed surprise at meeting Kim in an office setting rather than a studio. Kim responded by saying, “I’m currently the CEO of a writing instrument import company called Korea Pilot,” before joking, “I’m not the chairman.”
The company was originally founded by Kim’s maternal grandfather, whom he described as a strict and authoritarian figure during his childhood.
“Whenever I had dinner with my grandfather, I couldn’t digest my food because I was nervous he might ask me questions,” Kim said.
Kim explained that after his grandfather died, the company no longer looked promising from a business standpoint.
“In Korea Pilot’s case, the company was in complete capital impairment,” he said. “My mother wanted to protect the company and said she didn’t want to give up on it. I told her I didn’t know if I could help, but I would try, and that’s how I joined.”
According to Kim, the company faced severe financial difficulties for years.
“The situation started declining around 2004, and there were internal problems too,” he said. “Until my grandfather passed away in 2016, the company was losing 3 billion to 4 billion won ($2 million to $2.7 million) every year.”
Kim also revealed a complicated conflict involving Pilot Corp., the Japanese headquarters behind the Pilot brand.
He said his grandfather had continuously purchased shares in the Japanese company whenever profits were made, leading the Japanese side to defend its management control and eventually halt product supplies to the Korean business.
“At one point, we ordered enough Hi-Tec-C products to last 10 years just to keep the company alive,” Kim said.
He later personally negotiated with the Japanese company and successfully renewed the contract in 2019.
Kim also spoke passionately about the enduring value of handwriting in the digital age.
“I’ve never seen someone write an apology letter with an Apple Pencil,” he said. “Writing by hand feels sincere, so I don’t think it will disappear.”
The conversation also touched on aging and responsibility. Defconn said Kim now seemed to carry “the weight of a middle-aged head of household,” prompting Kim to agree while mentioning Defconn’s dating reality show “I Am Solo.”
“I think about those things a lot while watching ‘I Am Solo,’” Kim said.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.