Chungha Reveals She Owns No Home or Car Despite 10 Years of Stardom, Explains Where Her Earnings Went

In 2016, Kim Chungha (김청하) rose to fame through the survival show “Produce 101” Season 1, successfully debuting as a member of the project girl group I.O.I. After the group’s activities concluded, she transitioned to a solo career, releasing hit songs like “Roller Coaster” and “Gotta Go.” Her consecutive successes solidified her position as a leading female solo artist in Korea, earning her the nickname “Miracle of Small and Medium-sized Agencies.”

This year, Chungha also participated in an I.O.I reunion and officially returned to the music scene on March 1 with her new digital single “México,” resuming her musical activities. To promote the new song, she has recently made frequent appearances on various variety shows. During a recent guest spot on SBS’s “My Little Old Boy,” she discussed her life since turning 30 and candidly revealed her current living situation.

Chungha disclosed that she officially turned 30 this year. She had expected significant changes in her life upon entering her thirties, but reality has been far from her imagination, noting that she still “doesn’t own a home or a car.”

During the show, host Seo Jang-hoon (서장훈) commented, “Many people in their twenties imagine that by 30, they’ll have a house, a car, and some dating experience. But I hear Chungha doesn’t seem to have any of these at 30?” After hearing this, Chungha playfully responded, “Can I cry for a bit and come back?” She then admitted that as a child, she had envisioned being married by 30, owning her own house and car, and becoming a mature adult with extensive dating experience.

However, upon actually turning 30, she realized, “It seems only the number has changed; everything else is still the same.” Chungha explained that she had many aspirations for her thirties in her twenties, believing her life would be vastly different by this age. Yet, experiencing it, she found that only her age had increased by a year, with no significant changes in her life.

In response, Seo Jang-hoon presented Chungha with a choice: “Become an owner of a luxury home in Gangnam” or “Date a once-in-a-millennium ideal type.” After a moment of thought, Chungha unhesitatingly chose “a house registered under my name,” clearly indicating that at this stage, she prioritizes achieving the life goal of “owning her own home” over dating. Her answer drew laughter from the set.

However, despite not currently owning a house or car, Chungha has been remarkably generous to her colleagues who have supported her throughout her career. As early as 2022, she gifted diamond rings to her long-term dancers. In 2025, dancers revealed that Chungha had given each of them a Louis Vuitton (LV) designer bag, a gesture that left many astonished by her generosity.

In fact, before her debut, Chungha spent over six years as a trainee and dancer, undergoing extensive training and performing as a backup dancer for senior artists like B1A4, Teen Top, and Ulala Session. Having experienced the life of a dancer herself, she deeply understands their hardships and has consistently looked after her dancers since her debut. Reportedly, Chungha was even the first idol to provide practice fees for her dancers, demonstrating exceptional care for her colleagues and earning her a good reputation in the industry.

Beyond her generosity to dancers, Chungha’s most touching spending habit is her filial piety towards her mother. As early as 2019, Chungha revealed that she had paid off all her family’s debts. At the time, she mentioned that her mother was always reluctant to spend her earnings, even carrying eco-friendly bags, so Chungha specifically bought her an expensive handbag.

When she appeared on “My Little Old Boy” in 2022, Chungha further disclosed that she not only paid off all her mother’s debts but also bought her a house and a new car. She explained that her mother raised her alone in the United States, and recalling those past hardships always brought tears to her mother’s eyes, making Chungha determined to repay her.

In 2024, Chungha revisited this experience on “Radio Star,” revealing that in the seven years since her debut, she had released over 100 songs. Besides clearing family debts, she also provided her mother with a house and a car, while consistently engaging in charitable activities.

Therefore, Chungha’s recent admission at 30 that she “doesn’t own a home or a car” has brought renewed attention to her past. This doesn’t imply a lack of financial capability; rather, a significant portion of her past earnings was dedicated to resolving family debts, improving her mother’s life, and giving back to the colleagues who supported her journey.

From paying off her mother’s debts and buying her a house and car, to gifting dancers LV designer bags, luxury items, and diamond friendship rings, Chungha’s long-standing “generous” side makes her current declaration of “I want a house registered under my name” particularly genuine. Many netizens have quipped, “It turns out she spent all her earnings on the people around her.”