Taiwanese comedian Ma Kuo-bi has spent the past decade trying to pay off his gambling debt of NT$50 million (S$2 million), and he recently expressed his gratitude to his family for supporting him through it.
In 2013, the actor-host was revealed to have a gambling addiction to baseball betting sites, incurring more losses than wins. He divorced his wife Joanne Hsieh, whom he has a daughter with, so that they would not be burdened with his debt.
On the latest episode of the variety show Happy Family Day, Kuo-bi was a guest star with his parents and 93-year-old grandmother.
The 51-year-old joked that he had wanted to run away from his debts but his legs were too short, before explaining seriously: “I didn’t run away because of my upbringing; my parents taught me to bravely face and deal with problems.”
With the help of his loved ones and his own hard work to repay the debts, he is reportedly left with NT$5 million to clear.
Kuo-bi thanked his family for not giving up on him at his “lowest point” in life but instead encouraging him and providing him with a warm home.
On the variety show, his mother also revealed she had sold their house to help him repay his debts.
“At that time, Kuo-bi didn’t dare to come home. I said, ‘Don’t stay away from home, otherwise I’ll worry when I see news reports of kidnappings,'” she recalled.
“I said, ‘It’s okay to come home; the debts will be paid off one day. I look forward to that day.'”
In response, Kuo-bi promised he’ll “work even harder to make that day come soon”.
In 2016, Kuo-bi revealed he took on odd jobs including driving Uber to pay off his debts.
He started a joint venture with his friend in 2018, opening a fried chicken store while juggling his work as a livestreamer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dci8tBfiY2e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
[[nid:743790]]
Read the full article here
