Taiwanese comedian Peng Chia Chia, 66, hopes to clear all his debt by next year. Photo: Peng Chia Chia/Facebook
Taiwanese comedian Peng Chia Chia still has a remaining debt of NT$50mil to NT$60mil (RM7.3mil to RM8.7mil) despite having cleared off his previous debt of NT$240mil (RM34.8mil), TVBS reported.
He spoke about his financial situation in a Facebook Live on April 6 and expressed despair over the amount, claiming that it will take “at least 10 lifetimes” to fully repay the creditors.
In August 2020, Peng filed for bankruptcy after incurring a staggering NT$240mil (RM34.8mil) debt due to a movie flop. He said that even after mortgaging his house, he still owed NT$120mil (RM17.4mil).
With the help of businessman Lin Bing Wen, the 66-year-old reportedly cleared his debt last August.
There were speculations that Peng incurred the additional amount through gambling.
However, the Lion Dancing star rubbished those accusations during his live broadcast, claiming that his current debt was a result of borrowing money from family, friends and loan sharks.
Despite incurring such a huge amount of debt, Peng said that he’s not giving up and will work hard to pay off everything.
“I only have myself to blame for this mistake. Many relatives and friends lent me their life savings, and some urgently need it back for medical purposes.
“I can’t rely solely on show business if I want to make enough money, so I decided to start my own business,” he said, adding that he hopes to clear the remaining debt by 2024.
At present, Peng is running a kimchi business to make ends meet.
On Sunday (April 9), the actor shared a photo on Facebook of him and his 34-year-old son delivering kimchi.
In his post, the Gods Listen star thanked his son for supporting him and offering help to pay off the remaining debt.
“I have always told my son that people should be responsible for whatever happens in their own life.
“I just hope that one day, I can show him that although his father took the wrong path, he is a man who’s truly willing to take responsibility,” he said, adding that he hopes to set a better example for his son in the future.
