There are many stars nicknamed “born-to-be celebrities” because they show a completely different appearance when they stand in front of the camera.
However, not all stars dreamed of becoming a celebrity since their beginning.
Some of these celebrities lived normal lives doing other things before their debut.
Let’s meet stars who used to take a different path with their current spotlight lifestyle.
1. Lee Si-young – Jjimjilbang owner
Lee Si-young, who is enjoying great popularity on the short-video platform “TikTok,” ran a jjimjilbang just before her debut as an actress.
She appeared on a variety program in 2016 and shared that she used to work at a jjimjilbang.
Lee Si-young started working at a jjimjilbang after failing an audition. She drew attention by confessing her experience of buying beverages, underwear, and socks wholesale at Dongdaemun.
2. Kim Tae-ri – Soy Milk Salesperson at a Mart
Actress Kim Tae-ri, who made her name known to the public through the movie “The Handmaiden,” also had a different job in the past.
Kim Tae-ri had various part-time jobs at places such as fast food restaurants and convenience stores before her debut and also worked as a salesperson selling soy milk at a mart.
She was reportedly scouted as a cafe employee after catching the eye of a cafe owner while working.
3. Won Bin – Automobile mechanic
Won Bin has worked as a mechanic in his hometown Gangwon-do in the past.
He reportedly dreamed of becoming a celebrity while working as a car mechanic at an ordinary car center in his city.
Won Bin, who struggled to persuade his parents, entered the entertainment industry as he passed the cable channel open actor recruitment.
4. Lee Yoo-young – Hair salon staff
In her acceptance speech at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, actress Lee Yoo-young mentioned the time when she worked as a hair salon staff in the past.
She confessed that she worked at the hair salon while thinking about what she wanted to do.
Lee Yoo-young, who later dreamed of becoming an actor, belatedly entered university at the age of 22 after spending one year and a half to prepare for the start of her acting career.
5. Song Joong-ki – Short track speed skater
Song Joong-ki had been a short-track speed skater for about 12 years since he was in the first grade of elementary school.
In fact, he was a great skater with outstanding skills and even became the representative of his hometown Daejeon 3 times.
However, after suffering from an ankle injury due to a traffic accident, Song Joong-ki then had to think about his career again.
At that time, as the “power fight” became more intense among the short track speed skating national team, Song Joong-ki boldly quit practicing sport because he did not want to be embroiled in such fights.
6. Ryu Jun-yeol – After-school teacher
Actor Ryu Jun-yeol, who gained popularity after appearing in tvN’s drama “Reply 1988”, used to work as an after-school teacher for a theater class of an elementary school in the past.
It is known that he taught theater plays and musical lessons once a week.
In 2018, the story of Ryu Jun-yeol being the teacher of an “after-school class” was released via an online community, drawing keen attention.
Meeting the student he taught in the past on a stage greeting for “Little Forest”, Ryu Jun-yeol expressed his happiness, saying, “You have grown up a lot.”
