Lee Kwang Soo recently shared the harsh realities of his rookie days. He explained that he received no pay for his early work and had to handle everything on his own due to an unfair contract.
The confession came during an appearance on the popular YouTube channel Ddeun Ddeun, where he gathered with close friends Yoo Jae Suk, Ji Suk Jin, and Yang Se Chan to celebrate Yoo’s birthday.
Reflecting on their early days, Lee Kwang Soo revealed that he made his debut through TV commercials, where he was paid about 3 million won ($2,300) for one of his first ads. “But I made a mistake with the agency contract at the time,” he confessed, shocking his friends. “I received absolutely no payment from the deal.”
He explained that, as a naive rookie, he felt pressured to sign the contract without properly reading it. “I was afraid of looking bad if I didn’t sign the contract right away,” he said, adding regretfully, “If I had known better back then, I would have researched it more thoroughly.”
The exploitation continued even during his breakout role on the hit sitcom High Kick Through the Roof. Lee revealed his agency provided no support for housing or transportation. He didn’t even have a stylist and was forced to buy his own wardrobe for the show.
His co-stars were stunned. Ji Suk Jin laughed in disbelief, saying, “So, you auditioned yourself, passed, found your own clothes, took the bus to the set, and then gave your appearance fee to the agency?”
Yoo Jae Suk added, “Shouldn’t this be on some kind of exposé documentary?” referencing a famous Korean investigative news program. “It’s unbelievable.”
On a lighter note, the group also joked about Lee Kwang Soo’s long-term relationship with actress Lee Sun Bin. Yoo Jae Suk proudly claimed to be the “relationship coach” who brought the couple together eight years ago. While Lee Kwang Soo laughingly called him the “worst coach of his life,” he smiled and happily acknowledged their strong relationship.
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