Lee Jung-eun: 'The 50 million won debt to Shin Ha-kyun and Ji Jin-hee was my support'

Actress Lee Jung-eun reveals how she worked various part-time jobs for 13 years to repay a 50 million won debt borrowed from fellow actors such as Shin Ha-kyun and Ji Jin-hee during her years of obscurity. In her 20s, she nurtured her dream of becoming an actress as a backstage staff member; in her 30s, she stayed in the theater scene while enduring debt and financial hardship; and in her 40s, after moving through various minor roles, she established herself as an actress recognized by the public in her 50s. Her career is cited as a rare example of 'delayed success' in the Korean performing and video industries.

The 359th episode of tvN's "You Quiz on the Block," airing at 8:45 PM on the 9th, is themed as the "Thought It Was the End" special. Lee, now in her 36th year since debut, looks back on her acting life, including the long period she had to balance other jobs to make a living after choosing the profession of an actress.

In particular, Lee shares the story of how she ended up borrowing money from people like Shin Ha-kyun and Ji Jin-hee while in the process of forming her own theater company to produce performances. She previously revealed that she borrowed 50 million won from Shin Ha-kyun, Woo Hyun, and Ji Jin-hee to produce theater performances and finally repaid the debt after 13 years. She explained that at the time, her income from plays was extremely low, so she worked multiple jobs such as an acting academy instructor, a mart employee, and a green juice salesperson.

The story being revealed this time is difficult to view simply as a "heartwarming tale of repaying debt." At that time, the 50 million won was not just a personal debt, but the result of investing her own capital and labor into the non-commercial art realm of theater. While bearing the costs necessary for production herself, she did not give up the path of an actress, and the process of repaying that debt eventually became her survival strategy.

Lee also reminisces about the times she did not discriminate against work, such as delivering green juice, selling soy sauce, and serving at hotels. In the past, she mentioned on a broadcast that "when working as a professional actor, income was not consistent," noting a time when she earned only 200,000 won in a year while doing theater. Considering that her broadcast debut occurred in her mid-40s, unlike her current fame, a significant portion of her career was accumulated outside the public eye.

The roles she took on the stage were also not limited to acting. She learned the practical aspects of production by working in the props and general affairs teams of various theater companies, and later grew her presence as an actress through the musical "Laundry." During this process, anecdotes such as her experience teaching acting to Lee Hyori and Ji Jin-hee, and her time working as a top salesperson at a mart, are also expected to be revealed.

Lee's late prime is difficult to explain with the simple formula of a "success story of an unknown actress." She showed a unique ability to build characters by translating the theatrical sensibilities she accumulated over a long period into the language of visual media. After intensifying her appearances in TV and films in her 40s upon the recommendation of Kim Hee-won, she played characters with strong personalities in works such as "Mr. Sunshine," "Because This is Good," and "When the Camellia Blooms," and imprinted her name on domestic and international audiences through Bong Joon-ho's "Okja" and "Parasite."

In particular, her acting in "Parasite" is an example that compactly demonstrates Lee's philosophy of acting. She did not stop at simply conveying the meaning of lines, but combined the physicality of the character, the rhythm of speech, and realistic expressions and movements to reveal the character's social position. In this broadcast, the process of how she first formed a connection with director Bong Joon-ho and the behind-the-scenes story of how she visited an actual pig farm to observe and research for the voice acting in "Okja" will also be revealed.

Lee confesses that she experienced slumps even after reaching the top as an actress. Last year, she revealed that she deeply contemplated questions like "What is life? What is death?", speaking about the existential void that a person who has run toward a goal for a long time encounters at the moment they finally achieve it.

In relation to this, her past confession that she felt emptiness after completing the goal of "repaying the debt of 13 years" also draws attention. She said that while she endured for that goal while repaying the debt, once she actually repaid it all, she thought, "What goal should I live with after this?" It was as if a new question began the moment the goal that enabled her survival in one stage of life was achieved.

Gong Hyo-jin, who formed a mother-daughter bond in "When the Camellia Blooms," recently worked with Lee again in the film "Gyeongju Trip." In this broadcast, a special interview with Gong will also be revealed. Gong shared a special sentiment as a colleague who witnessed Lee's late rise to fame, stating, "I got to enjoy my mother's prime along with her."

Lee's case shows that the timing of success in the Korean entertainment industry does not necessarily coincide with youth. While the public often remembers stars who gain attention immediately upon debut, her career proves that long periods of obscurity, survival labor, and field experience can accumulate as an actor's greatest assets. Her experiences as a staff member in her 20s, economic struggles in her 30s, and minor roles in her 40s were not disconnected periods, but a long preparation process that enabled her acting in her 50s.

In addition to Lee, the episode of "You Quiz on the Block" will feature wingsuit flyer Lim Jong-sun, a former presidential bodyguard; hepatobiliary surgeon Lee Jun-seo, who fought alcoholism for nine years; and 85-year-old manhwa artist Min Annie. Artist Min is expected to share the story of how she began drawing world-class K-pop stars like BTS and BLACKPINK in her manhwa style, as well as her creative life spanning over 60 years.