8 Korean actors who took no payment for their roles (ft. Song Joong Ki, Hyun Bin, Lee Jong Suk)
These Korean actors refused to take payment for certain movies and dramas due to various different reasons.
1. Jang Hyuk
Not only did he turn down payment, Jang Hyuk also paid for the makeup, props, and styling for his own appearance in the 2009 movie “Maybe”. It was said that the actor did all these due to the movie’s lack of production budget.
2. Hyun Bin
Hyun Bin did not receive any money for his appearance in 2011 movie “Come Rain, Come Shine”, and it was reported that the actor accepted this willingly since he was in love with the script.
3. Cho Seung Woo
Cho Seung Woo decided to star in the 2013 movie “Lee Sang That Lee Sang” without taking any payment. Playing an aspiring poet, it is known that Cho Seung Woo took up the role out of a promise he made with director Choi Jung Kyu.
4. Lee Sun Jae
Nicknamed “the nation’s grandfather”, Lee Sun Jae decided to appear for free in the 2018 film “Stand By Me” after being deeply moved by its heartfelt script. Here, he successfully pulled off an emotional performance as an old man who raises his 2 grandchildren after his son passed away and his daughter-in-law abandoned them.
5. Lee Jong Suk
Lee Jong Suk volunteered to play the male lead in the 2018 drama “Hymn of Death” without taking any payments. Apparently, he has a great relationship with the director of this historically-inspired series that is based on real events.
6. Ahn Sung Ki
Ahn Sung Ki not only turned down payment, but also hired and paid makeup artists for the production crew of “In the Name of the Son” (2021). This action of his drew a lot of admiration from the public.
7. Jung Hae In
Despite his packed schedules, Jung Hae In still agreed to star as a lead of the 2021 series “Unframed”, in the “Blue Happiness” episode for free. The episode was written and directed by actor Lee Je Hoon, and Jung Hae In did this in support of his friend.
8. Song Joong Ki
Recently, the production crew of noir film “Hwaran” confirmed Song Joong Ki as one of its major casts, taking everyone by surprise, especially since the movie is known to be low-budget. As it turns out, Song Joong Ki decided to take payment in order to assist and encourage the production of noir and art films.
Source: k14
