Lim Chae-moo mentions 'Dooly Land' admission fee controversy "Are you telling about 80 employees to close the place in two months?"

Actor Im Chae-moo announced the reopening of Duriland in Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, which he operates, on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Actor Im Chae-moo has expressed his position regarding the admission fee controversy at the amusement park 'Duriland.'

In an interview with a media outlet on the 15th, Im Chae-moo said, "The opening day was incredible. When I heard they were charging an admission fee, I felt a sense of sorrow," adding, "(Some people) used strong language, saying, 'I thought you were a good person because you offered it for free, but you turned out to be a hypocrite.'

He also said, "There were reports filed to the authorities claiming that Im Chae-moo was charging an admission fee, and officials even came out."

Duriland has been charging an admission fee since the 30th of last month. The fee is 20,000 KRW for adults and 25,000 KRW for children.

Im Chae-moo went on to explain the unavoidable reasons for charging the admission fee. He said, "In the past, there were 15 to 18 staff members," adding, "Now, including part-time workers, there are 70 to 80 people. Currently, just the electricity bill is about 20 million KRW per month. If we don't charge an admission fee, we will be forced to close within two months."

Regarding criticism that the price is expensive, he said, "Kids' cafes usually charge between 15,000 and 25,000 KRW for 4 to 6 hours of play," adding, "At Duriland, once you enter, you can play all day. Considering this, I don't think the price is expensive."

Im Chae-moo plans to continue operating Duriland. He said, "Doing what I love is comfortable," and "When I take pictures with children, I have no worries in the world."

He revealed that he established Duriland to create an amusement park that the whole family can enjoy. He said, "During a historical drama shoot, I saw a child get a glass cut on their foot and then be taken away after coming to play," adding, "I created this place with the simple thought of making a space where the whole family can comfortably enjoy themselves."

Meanwhile, Im Chae-moo invested his own money 30 years ago to build the amusement park 'Duriland' in Yangju City, Gyeonggi Province. It opened in 1990 but was closed for three years due to financial difficulties around 2006 before reopening. It was closed again in October 2017 for environmental improvements and reopened last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.