'Queen of Aloe' Choi Yeon-jae to Reveal How She Turned a $30M Debt-Ridden Company into a Global $75M Business

Choi Yeon-jae, widely known as the 'Queen of Aloe,' will share her incredible success story of transforming a company burdened with 40 billion won (approximately $30 million) in debt into a global enterprise generating 100 billion won (approximately $75 million) in annual revenue.

Appearing on the EBS program 'Baekmanjangja Next Door with Seo Jang-hoon' airing today (5th) at 9:55 PM, Choi Yeon-jae, the CEO of Kim Jung-moon Aloe, a pioneer in popularizing aloe in Korea, will detail her dramatic 20-year business journey of saving the company from the brink of bankruptcy.

Choi took over the company in 2006, succeeding her late husband, the founder, who passed away in 2005. While her husband was battling illness, professional managers led the company into turmoil, prompting Choi to step in and take the helm when she could no longer stand by and watch.

She will reveal the behind-the-scenes story of becoming vice-chairman, stating, "I couldn't just write 'Madam' in the approval line, so I became vice-chairman."

However, the company was already facing a critical situation with 40 billion won in debt. Reflecting on that period, she confessed, "If it had been just one month later, this company would have been finished."

The crisis became a harsh reality after the founder, her husband, passed away. Cynical eyes from many labeled the company as doomed, with comments like "Kim Jung-moon Aloe will go bankrupt soon" and "What can that woman do?" poured in, accompanied by acquisition offers.

Internal voices of doubt regarding her expertise grew louder. At one point, she received a note through the secretarial office demanding her personnel reassignment – an "HR order" rather than a request, which she described as deeply humiliating.

Despite these difficult times, where she was unacknowledged while holding the collapsing company, Choi Yeon-jae paid off the entire 40 billion won debt within ten years, normalizing the business.

Subsequently, through aggressive strategies like entering the home shopping market and pioneering global markets, she successfully elevated the company into a global brand achieving an annual revenue of 100 billion won.

Her story of upholding her late husband's management philosophy and ushering in a new era of prosperity is expected to resonate deeply with viewers, serving as a powerful reminder of the spirit of unwavering challenge and true leadership in the face of adversity.

The broadcast will also feature the fated meeting between founder Chairman Kim Jung-moon and Choi Yeon-jae, along with their cinematic love story, a promise of eternal love symbolized by aloe.

Viewers can witness the inspiring life narrative of Choi Yeon-jae, the 'Queen of Aloe,' who rescued a company in crisis and wrote a miracle from the depths of despair, on EBS's 'Baekmanjangja Next Door with Seo Jang-hoon' on November 5th at 9:55 PM.

Korean netizens are expressing deep admiration for CEO Choi Yeon-jae's remarkable turnaround story. Comments include, "It's amazing how she overcame adversity," "I want to learn from her leadership," and "I should use more aloe products," showing strong support and encouragement.