Shim Hyung Tak recently opened up about the financial difficulties he faced and how that led to his two-year hiatus.

In the new episode of TV CHOSUN's 'Chosun's Lover' that aired on April 17, Shim Hyung Tak shared why he took a two-year hiatus from broadcasting and confessed how his mother lost all his life's savings.

He began by sharing, "After appearing on 'Infinite Challenge' back in 2014, I received much love and appeared on a lot of shows. I worked a lot so I earned a lot of money." He continued to share, "Since I was younger, my mother had managed all my finances. I earned a lot of money in 2014 so my mother bought an apartment and we were able to move in. But a week later, the entrance was blocked by a shipping container. And every time I entered the apartment, I had to get permission." 

He explained that he later found out that the apartment was entangled in a lien. In the end, he moved out of that apartment and moved to an apartment with the Han River View that appeared on 'Point of Omniscient Interfere' in 2016. Unfortunately, he faced issues with that apartment as well.

Shim Hyung Tak continued, "My mother said that if we live in the apartment for 300 million KRW (228,000 USD), we can get 800 million KRW (606,000 USD). But in the end, I was kicked out of the apartment. I wasn't able to take any of my furniture with me. There was an auction suddenly, and the owner of the apartment changed."

The actor then shared that things turned worse when his mother bought a piece of land at an auction and made him sign a guarantee causing him to shoulder all financial responsibility, including the interest. He shared, "My hands would shake. I kept paying the interest for her, but it was an amount that even a celebrity couldn't afford. So I always borrowed money from my agency to pay back."

However, that was not the end. Things turned for the worst when he received a letter from the court. He shared, "It was a civil litigation letter. My mother had borrowed a large sum of money in my name. I really wanted to say, 'Please save me, I feel like dying.'"

Due to the immense financial difficulty, he began forming a mental condition where he would hear things. He added, "I was the MC for the 'Cult Two Show' for four years and four months but then, I started to hear voices (while hosting the show). I would hear people cursing at me and I couldn't lift my head. So I had to leave the show."

He shared that because of the immense stress, he formed a mental illness that led him to depart from many shows and withdraw from broadcast for two years. The actor revealed that during that time, his Japanese wife Sayu was the one who supported him and helped him overcome. He shared, "She comforted me so much in times of difficulty. She is an incredible woman. I met an angel."