Beloved Korean Actress Confesses To Shocking Financial Difficulties

1 day ago 6

“I’d have to pay for my meals, and even that was hard…”

Koreaboo

1 hour ago

Veteran actress Bae Jong Ok recently opened up about enduring a challenging period of financial struggle, revealing the lesser-known side of her life behind the glamour of her career. Her candid confession came during a trip to France, where she joined Yoon Hyun Sook and Byun Jung Soo for a feature on the Nyeo Nyeo Nyeo YouTube channel.

Over a glass of wine at their accommodation, Bae shared her story, responding to Yoon’s recollection of her tough times. Yoon mentioned hearing that Bae had once been unable to afford a cashmere scarf priced at ₩300,000 KRW (about $209 USD). Bae confirmed the story confessing to her struggles.

Yoon: “I heard that during your slump, you couldn’t even afford a cashmere scarf that cost about 300,000 won.”

Bae Jong Ok: “It’s true, I didn’t have the money.”

She explained that although there were ways to earn more income by taking on projects she didn’t feel passionate about, she chose not to compromise her principles.

There are ways to make money. I could break myself. I could take on projects I don’t want to do. If I did that, I could buy 100 scarves. But I didn’t want to go down that road. So, I just endured it.

But during that time, I kept asking myself, ‘If I keep enduring, will something different come my way?’ That doubt kept creeping in, but I held on.

— Bae Jong Ok

Bae went on to describe how she endured that difficult period, despite persistent doubts about whether her perseverance would eventually pay off. She admitted that the financial strain was at the point where she could not even afford to eat out, which made socializing and networking even more difficult.

During those two to three years of hardship, Bae stayed home and found solace in reading.

I was like that back then. But no one knew what I was going through. When someone suggested meeting up, I wouldn’t go. Because if I went out, I’d have to pay for my meals, and even that was hard since I needed to prioritize living expenses. As an actor, there are moments where you need to endure certain periods. It went on for two or three years. It was really tough.

During that time, I just stayed at home and read books.

— Bae Jong Ok