Shoe King with 300 Billion Won in Sales Reveals: “In My 20s, My Salary Was Just a Bit Less Than the Chairman’s!”

CEO Kwon Dong-chil, the mastermind behind a shoe company with annual sales reaching up to 300 billion won, is opening up about his life and the secrets behind his product development.

CEO Kwon Dong-chil will appear on the EBS TV show ‘Seo Jang-hoon’s Next Door Millionaire’ airing on the afternoon of the 6th.

The episode will dive into how CEO Kwon developed the world’s first 290g ultra-lightweight hiking boots back in 1998.

After taking a look at Seo Jang-hoon’s shoes, CEO Kwon analyzed them, saying, “You can tell a person’s usual habits just by looking at their shoes.” In response, Seo Jang-hoon admitted, “I usually wear slippers,” and shared the story behind his preference and the struggles that come with it.

The episode will also cover the process of how CEO Kwon developed the world’s first 290g ultra-lightweight hiking boots in 1998.

He revealed that after seeing people’s feet bleed during hikes due to heavy boots, he vowed to create hiking boots lighter than 290g, which is roughly the weight of four eggs.

During the research phase, he offered a bold incentive to all employees: “I will pay 1 million won for every 1g reduced in weight.” This led to the successful development of the boots. After feeling them himself, Seo Jang-hoon reacted, “These are so light I wonder if they’re actually hiking boots.”

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He also shared the story of how the market initially rejected the boots because consumers believed that “if they’re too light, they’re unstable,” and how he eventually overcame that prejudice.

Additionally, CEO Kwon mentioned his track record of supplying 500,000 to 600,000 pairs of shoes annually for soldiers, police officers, and firefighters. He also shared a story about his rapid promotions in his 20s while working in overseas sales, noting, “At the time, my salary was only slightly less than the chairman’s.”