On the June 9 episode of KBS Joy’s variety show “Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller,” former idol group BTL‘s Oh Ji Min appeared as a guest, sharing, “I now run a painting and finishing business.”
He added, “I met my wife during my military service, and we have two sons. I’m here today because I want advice on having a third child hopefully a daughter.”
Oh debuted in 2014 as part of the 9-member boy group BTL, which disbanded after about two years of activity. “We even filmed a second music video, but the group suddenly disbanded,” he recalled. “My original dream was to be an actor. I was studying in the theater and film department when I ended up debuting as an idol, but it didn’t work out.”
The former idol also shared, “My wife and I had a premarital pregnancy during my service. She’s now 26, our first son is five, and the second is 15 months old.”
When asked by Seo Jang Hoon about his current income, Oh responded, “During peak season, I make around 12 to 15 million KRW a month. In off-season, it drops to about 2 million.” He added, “We started from nothing. We got married on a tight budget and took out loans to open my wife’s cafe. Things are much better now, and we’re repaying our debt.”
Lee Soo Geun advised caution about having a third child: “You still have a lot on your plate. Wait until the kids are older there’s no guarantee the third will be a girl.” Seo Jang Hoon echoed this, saying, “You’re still young. You can wait 10 years. Focus on stability first.”
Oh Ji Min had previously shared his new profession in a YouTube interview in March last year. At the time, he said, “I started thinking about what job could earn good money, and that’s how I ended up in painting. I’m 120% satisfied. It has great work-life balance, and I get to spend time with my kids.” He added, “You might even lose track of time doing it no overtime, just fun. It’s really enjoyable.”
From K-pop stages to paintbrushes, Oh Ji Min’s journey shows how resilience and adaptability can lead to fulfilling new chapters.
