Actor Lee Hyun-gyun reveals survival through overnight factory jobs

Actor Lee Hyun-gyun has revealed the harsh realities of his years as an unknown actor, when he had to balance acting work with manual labor to make a living. As he builds his presence in recent dramas and films, interest is growing in the instability of the acting profession and the survival methods of rising actors. It was revealed that just five to six years ago, Lee worked overnight shifts at factory part-time jobs that allowed him to adjust his working days to match unpredictable filming schedules.

On the 31st, Lee appeared on the YouTube channel 'Zzanbro Shin Dong-yup' alongside Kim Min-ho, Kim Dong-jun, and Nam Tae-Woo—cast members of the ENA drama 'sinbyeong 4'—to share his experiences.

During the appearance, Lee discussed his time working at an L-company factory, saying, "When I have a project, I can't take part-time jobs that require consistent attendance. This is because I might have to go out for filming at any time." He explained that due to the nature of the profession, he had to choose jobs that allowed him to respond to sudden filming calls.

The work he chose was overnight factory labor where he could adjust his schedule on a daily basis. He handled various tasks ranging from simple operations to physically demanding processes, specifically mentioning a task he described as 'pressure,' which involved two people working in a team to repeatedly compress products.

"Simple tasks like sticking stickers were fine," Lee said, but he explained the difficulty of the physical labor, adding, "The 'pressure' part, where we had to stamp it, was done in teams of two. Later on, it felt like my waist was going to break. We worked all night, and since it was a difficult overnight job, I received about 200,000 won."

The reason he continued the work despite the intense labor was clear: the daily wage of 200,000 won.

Lee recalled, "There was a temptation because I could earn 200,000 won every day even if I didn't go. If I worked for just five days, I could live for half a month. I went out thinking, 'Let's just endure the hardship.'" He added, "I was so happy when the money came in," revealing that it was difficult to maintain a stable life back then with only acting fees.

This confession highlights a reality different from the common view that an actor's success is solely the result of a project's popularity. While actors must maintain their livelihood during periods without filming, irregular production schedules make it difficult to balance work with typical part-time jobs that require long-term commitment. For actors who must repeatedly prepare for auditions and filming, temporal flexibility is a matter of survival.

For an actor like Lee, who has expanded his career through theater, minor roles, and supporting roles over a long period, such labor holds deep meaning. In an industry where there is no guarantee that one project will lead to the next, actors must navigate the space between creative labor and survival labor to sustain their careers.

After debuting with the play 'Unnies' in 2009, Lee built his career by moving between the stage and screen. While it took considerable time to gain public recognition, he has recently emerged as a 'scene stealer' who vividly brings out the individuality of his characters.

He has continued his versatile acting career in Netflix's 'Parasyte: The Grey,' tvN's 'Someday Wise Resident,' and the film 'Apartment.' He also increased his public recognition through the SBS drama 'Story of Manager Kim, Who Works at a Large Corporation and Owns a House in Seoul.'

Recently, he has been meeting viewers again through ENA's 'sinbyeong 4.' As the 'sinbyeong' series realistically portrays the hierarchy and conflicts within the military, the roles of supporting actors with strong personalities are vital to the work's realism.

This is why Lee's confession regarding his past factory work is gaining attention. While he is now an actor who naturally commands the screen, behind his success lies a long period of enduring the unknown to sustain his livelihood. An actor's career is not just defined by the moments they appear on screen, but by the unseen hours of waiting and perseverance.

A man who worked overnight factory shifts for 200,000 won just a few years ago is now making his mark in major productions. Lee's journey illustrates the reality experienced by many actors outside the spotlight and underscores the weight of the success they achieve after enduring long periods of obscurity.