Yoo Nam-kyu, the Trials of the IMF Following His Gold Medal Glory... "I Starved Because I Didn't Have 10,000 Won"

Yoo Nam-kyu, considered a legendary figure in table tennis, confessed to the painful times hidden behind his brilliant glory. In the video for 'Star Documentary My Way' released on September 29, 2026, on the TV CHOSUN JOY channel, Yoo Nam-kyu calmly spoke about the economic difficulties and psychological wandering he experienced during the IMF financial crisis.

The Trials of the IMF That Came After the Glory of Gold Medals

Yoo Nam-kyu revealed that although he received great love in events such as the '86 Asian Games and the Olympics, he suffered trials including the dissolution of his team and losing his job along with the IMF financial crisis. In the video, mentioning the miserable situation at the time, Yoo Nam-kyu said, "There were many times I starved because I didn't have 10,000 won." He shared that he went through such hard times that his weight dropped by about 10kg from 63kg to 53kg, and there was a period when he was so psychologically withdrawn that he did not engage in outside activities for about three months.

At that time, Yoo Nam-kyu went through such difficult times that he felt negative emotions toward Korea and table tennis, but he stated that he prepared for a comeback by starting his life as a coach in 2000 with the desire to start again with the juniors from his disbanded team. Regarding the coldness of human relationships experienced in the world of competition, he reminisced, "I learned a lot about life while feeling that hearts can change depending on interests."

Feelings Toward Daughter Shin Yu-bin, "Ye-rin is my confession"

Yoo Nam-kyu cited his family as one of the driving forces that allowed him to overcome the difficult period. In particular, he expressed affection for his wife, whom he married in 2007, and his daughter Shin Yu-bin (mentioned as 'Ye-rin' in the video). He expressed a special bond toward his daughter Shin Yu-bin, using the expression, "Ye-rin is like my confession."

Yoo Nam-kyu explained that he decorated the front of his house with his medals so that his daughter could have goals as a table tennis player. This action stems from his hope that every time his daughter opens the door and comes in, she will gain motivation by seeing her father's achievements. He also shared daily conversations between father and daughter, such as an anecdote where, when fans gave service at restaurants, his daughter would say, "It's not Dad's service."

Moments of Glory Left as Records

The video also shows the records of the table tennis life that Yoo Nam-kyu has accumulated throughout his life. He showed that he has cherished symbolic medals, ranging from the '86 Asian Games to the '96 Atlanta Olympics bronze medal. In particular, he retraced the path he walked as a table tennis player by mentioning the racket he used in a match against a Chinese player during the '86 Asian Games and the records from the '88 Seoul Olympics.

Yoo Nam-kyu mentioned the memory of becoming a world champion at the young age of 18 and the souvenirs he received from reporters at the time, conveying his pride as a table tennis hero who once conquered the world and the meaning of the precious items obtained in that process.