Before becoming one of Korea’s busiest actors, Lee Junyoung quietly took on part-time work just to make ends meet.
The actor recently shared a heartbreaking story from the early days of his career, revealing that when acting jobs were scarce and his future remained uncertain, he secretly worked at a convenience store to support himself.
At the time, Lee Jun Young was juggling auditions, schedules, and shifts behind the register, keeping the job hidden from those around him. However, one unexpected encounter changed everything. According to the actor, his own manager accidentally discovered his secret.
His manager had stopped by the convenience store simply to buy cigarettes, only to find Lee Junyoung working there. The actor admitted that the moment completely overwhelmed him.
back then when junyoung’s career were still unstable he secretly worked part-time at a convenience store, juggling everything just to survive. until the day his own manager hyung walked in for cigarettes and caught him.. the shame hit him so hard he couldn’t stop crying.. the… pic.twitter.com/wS1CWjTgSe
— 쌤.. (@junyoungies) July 1, 2026
“As I was working, my manager at that time came in to buy cigarettes. I was really so, so embarrassed that I cried so much.”
Lee transitioned from being an idol to an actor after U-KISS disbanded. For years he struggled before establishing himself as one of Korea’s most versatile stars.