“Don’t be a burden to other actors” Lee Jun Young opens up about painful biases after idol-to-actor transition

Actor and former U-KISS member Jun (Lee Jun Young) shared candid reflections on the prejudice and emotional difficulties he faced when transitioning from music to acting, revealing the harsh realities behind the entertainment industry.

On May 20, a video featuring Lee Jun Young appeared on the YouTube channel 'YouTube Ha Ji Young,' where he joined host Ha Ji Young for an open conversation about his career. During the episode, Lee spoke honestly about the less glamorous side of the entertainment world, drawing attention with his unfiltered experiences.

Debuting in 2014 as a member of the group U-KISS, Lee Jun Young recalled how different reality was from his expectations. “The world was nothing like what I had imagined,” he said. “I thought once I debuted, all my worries would disappear, but new juniors kept appearing. I really went through a lot.” 

Host Ha Ji Young responded by acknowledging the harsh structure of the entertainment industry, describing it as a highly disciplined environment where his expression of “being worn down” felt very accurate.

Lee Jun Young also spoke openly about his transition into acting in 2017 and the prejudice he faced at the time. When asked whether he experienced bias as a former idol, he revealed that the reality was even more severe than expected.

He recalled being told, “Don’t be a burden to other actors who are trying to succeed.” The remark, he said, left a lasting emotional scar. “That sentence stayed with me for a long time,” Lee said, reflecting on how deeply it affected him during his early acting career.

He also offered a candid self-assessment of his idol days, noting that while U-KISS had achieved public recognition for certain songs, the group was not considered a top-tier mainstream success. Still, he emphasized his determination to continue despite uncertainty. “I thought opportunities would come more easily, but it depends on timing,” he said. “If I stopped there, I would have felt like a failure. That thought kept me going.”

Lee’s remarks highlight the ongoing stigma often faced by idol-turned-actors in the Korean entertainment industry, as well as the resilience required to persist in a highly competitive environment.