Taiwanese veteran artist Peng Cha-Cha faced a debt of up to 240 million New Taiwan Dollars due to a failed film investment in his early years, leading to his bankruptcy announcement in 2020. Over the years, he has been actively trying various jobs, from performing and hosting to venturing into cross-border live streaming sales. At the age of 70, he recently live-streamed himself in Mainland China selling sweet potatoes in the fields, a display that has both touched and impressed many fans.
In a video shared by Peng Cha-Cha on social media, he was seen dressed in a striped vest, conducting a live stream alone in a sweet potato field in Xiamen. From the scorching sun during the day to the falling of night, he appeared to have not taken a moment’s rest. In the video, he introduced the freshly harvested sweet potatoes, tasted them on the spot, interacted with fans in Taiwanese, and promoted the products. Despite his sweat-drenched face and enduring mosquito bites, he never complained of fatigue.
After the video went viral, many netizens expressed admiration, “At 70 years old, to strive this way, truly admirable.” “Impressive commitment!” “Although it is for earning money, being willing to put down one’s ego truly deserves praise.”
Due to the film investment failure, Peng Cha-Cha’s debt once reached up to 240 million NTD, leading to his bankruptcy declaration. In order to repay the debts as soon as possible, he shifted his focus to the Mainland Chinese market, resorting to live streaming sales for a living. Apart from selling sweet potatoes, Peng Cha-Cha had previously appeared at a chicken farm at 11 o’clock in the night, promoting a box of 30 locally produced eggs priced at 59.9 RMB, even personally packaging and signing them.
In an interview, Peng Cha-Cha once admitted that he had indeed contemplated suicide multiple times in the past, but he always told himself not to give up easily. “If I were to give up, I would be labelled in that position. Some people say that Peng Cha-Cha’s life has hit rock bottom, but I really want to see what rock bottom looks like.” It is this kind of belief that has supported him through the darkest times.
Last year, Peng Cha-Cha revealed that he had already paid off half of the debt, with around 120 million NTD remaining, all related matters being handled by his manager. He joked that although life is tough now, he feels fulfilled as he can continue walking according to his own beliefs.